Hans News Service Hyderabad

Withthe ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR)-2026 of electoral rolls, the District Election Officer and Hyderabad police issued public advisory warning citizens about a rise in fraudulent phone calls made in the name of voter verification.

The advisory warns that fraudsters may impersonate Booth Level Officers (BLOs) or Election Commission officials and attempt to obtain One-Time Passwords (OTPs) from voters under the pretext of updating voter details or verifying names in the electoral roll. DEO RV Karnan has urged citizens not to fall for such scams, clarifying that the Election Commission of India (ECI) and BLOs will never ask voters to share their OTP over phone calls. Citizens have been advised to remain vigilant and refrain from sharing OTPs, bank account details, or any personal information with unknown callers. The advisory further cautions voters never to share their OTP, bank account details, or any personal information with anyone over phone calls or messages. Citizens have been advised to use OTPs only on official ECI platforms while accessing or verifying voter-related services and never disclose them to any individual.

Hyderabad City police commissioner VC Sajjanar also posted an advisory by stating “Your vote is precious. So is your personal information. Don’t let scammers steal your identity in the name of SIR-2026. Remember: No election official will ask for your OTP, never share OTPsor banking details over phone calls, hang up, report suspicious calls to 1930, and spread awareness, and one OTP shared can put your money and personal data at risk.

Authorities advised, in case of receiving such suspicious calls, voters have been advised to immediately disconnect the call, report the incident to the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or the nearest police station, and alert family members, friends, and especially senior citizens about the scam, who are often targeted by cyber fraudsters.

The authorities stressed that “One OTP shared can put your bank account and personal information at risk,” urging citizens to spread awareness and ensure that their votes and personal data remain secure during the SIR-2026 exercise. Appealing to the public to remain cautious throughout the SIR-2026 process, the authorities are reminding voters that protecting personal information is as important as protecting their right to vote has also urged citizens to widely share the advisory to help protect fellow voters from cyber fraud.