The viral 80s retro photo trend on social media has now become a 'Nostalgia Scam'. Cybercriminals are hacking phones by sending fake links, and police in several states have issued warnings.
Nowadays, 80s retro-style pictures are dominating social media. People are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to give their and their family's photos an old-school look and sharing them.
But behind this trend lies a major threat, being called the 'Nostalgia Scam'. Millions of people across the country, including in Rajasthan, could unknowingly fall victim to this scam.
The Nostalgia Scam is a new method of cyber fraud where scammers take advantage of people's affection for old memories (Nostalgia).
They are targeting people under the guise of the 80s retro trend. It is a dangerous cyber fraud committed in the name of old memories.
Cybercriminals are trapping people by exploiting this trend. The method is very simple yet effective.
Seeing this growing threat, police in several states including Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka have issued official warnings and advisories.
Bokaro Cyber Police Station in-charge Pawan Kumar has advised people to be cautious about AI trends. He said that one must check the privacy policy of any unknown app before uploading photos.
Under the leadership of Himachal Director General of Police Ashok Tiwari, the State CID Cyber Crime Bureau has issued a warning. He said, "Think, understand, then upload." Uploading pictures on unknown AI apps increases the risk of deepfake videos, fake profiles, and blackmail.
In Moradabad, SP City Kumar Ran Vijay Singh and cyber experts reported that scammers are hacking phones by sending APK files. Prashant Singh from the cyber police station warned that giving permissions to unknown apps can lead to personal data theft.
When people upload their high-quality pictures to ChatGPT or other AI tools, they unknowingly leak their most valuable data - their facial biometric data.
This data can be used for identity theft, fraudulent KYC verification, or Aadhaar-linked scams. It can also be used to defame someone by creating deepfake videos.
Do not panic if you become a victim of cyber fraud. Immediately call the National Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930.
You can also file your complaint online at cybercrime.gov.in. Remember, your old memories are precious, but your digital security is even more important. Stay alert, stay safe.
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