ByteShield · With the Cyber Branch, Pune Police
Spot the cheat before the money goes.
A two hour session for people over 60. They already use WhatsApp every day. Nobody showed them the tricks cheats use. We do, and then everyone practises.
For people over 60, and their adult children.
In 2025, 1,03,488 people over 60 in India reported being cheated online. Together they reported losing ₹4,005 crore.
Complaints to the national cyber crime portal, as given by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Source: Ministry of Home Affairs, Rajya Sabha reply, 5 Aug 2026 (NCRP data), reported by ANI
The one move that beats every cheat
Hang up. Find the real number yourself. Call back.
Never use a number the caller gives you. Never decide anything while they are still on the line. A cheat only has power in the panic of the live moment. The second you hang up and check, they have lost.
Four warning signs
There are too many scams to list, and new ones come every week. So we teach the feeling they all share. Learn the feeling and you can catch a cheat you have never seen before.
- 01Hurry"Your account will close in 2 hours."
- 02Fear"This is the police. There is a case against you."
- 03Secret"Do not tell anyone, not even your family."
- 04Pay now"Pay right now and it is sorted."
Two rules, said out loud
- Real banks and real police never hurry me, scare me, or ask me to keep a secret.
- My PIN and OTP are only for sending. Anyone asking for them to give me money is lying.
The two hours
If time runs short, the practice round is protected. That is where people actually learn.
- 10 minSettle the roomA real local story, and one sentence: you are not bad at phones, these people are professional liars.
- 20 minThe four warning signsHurry, fear, secret, pay now. The room shouts which sign each line is.
- 15 minThe money ruleEveryone finds a real "money received" message on their own phone and reads it.
- 15 minFake messages and linksElectricity cut, KYC expired, you won a prize, "Hi Ma, this is my new number".
- 15 minPasswordsNot your birthday. Not 1234. The bank gets its own.
- 20 minPractice roundA volunteer plays the cheat and calls someone across the room. Fake bank, fake police, fake son.
- 25 minIf it happens1930 saved in every phone before anyone leaves.
One helper for every 6 to 8 people, so everyone gets help on their own phone.
Real or scam?
An example message. Decide, then see why.
Show the answer
It's a scam.
Electricity companies do not send disconnection warnings from a personal mobile number, and they never ask you to call an officer. The deadline tonight is there to stop you thinking.
With the Cyber Branch, Pune Police
ByteShield runs with the Cyber Branch of the Pune Police, who bring real cases from their own files. Those cases become the practice rounds, and, once cleared for publication, the scam library.
Scam library
