India's Supreme Court has issued an urgent warning to the public about a fake website mimicking its official portal. This fraudulent site is designed to trick users into giving up sensitive personal and financial data through a phishing scam.
The Official Warning from the Apex Court
The Supreme
Court Registry released a public notice flagging a newly identified fraudulent domain: 'scigovinjudicial.com'. The advisory stated that this website is impersonating the court's official online presence with the intent to defraud the public. This is not an isolated incident; the court has issued several similar warnings since 2023 about various fake domains. The latest notice is a continuation of previous alerts, highlighting an ongoing battle against cybercriminals who are targeting citizens by using the court's name.
Know the Difference: Official vs. Fake
The only official and registered domain for the Supreme Court of India is 'sci.gov.in'. The court has explicitly stated that any other domain claiming to represent it is fraudulent. The latest fake website uses the address 'scigovinjudicial.com', a subtle but critical difference designed to fool unsuspecting visitors. Phishing scams like this rely on creating a sense of legitimacy by using names and designs that are almost identical to the real ones. These fake sites are set up to harvest confidential information from users who believe they are interacting with an official government portal.
What Are the Risks?
Interacting with this fraudulent website poses a significant risk of data theft and financial loss. According to the Supreme Court's advisory, the cybercriminals behind the site are attempting to solicit sensitive personal data and confidential credentials. This could include online banking user IDs, login passwords, PAN details, and other financial information. Once this information is stolen, it can be used for identity theft, unauthorised financial transactions, and other illegal activities. The court's notice strictly cautions everyone against divulging any personal or financial details on such platforms.
How to Protect Yourself from This Scam
The Supreme Court Registry has provided clear guidance on how to stay safe. First and foremost, never click on unsolicited links that claim to be from the Supreme Court. Always manually type the official URL 'sci.gov.in' into your browser. Before clicking any link, hover your mouse over it to preview the destination URL and ensure it is the correct one. It is crucial to remember that the Supreme Court of India will never ask for your personal information, financial details, or other confidential data via its website. Any request for such information is an immediate red flag.
What to Do If You've Been Compromised
If you suspect you may have visited the fake site and entered your information, you must act immediately. The Registry advises individuals to change the passwords for all their online accounts, especially for banking and email. You should also contact your bank and credit card companies to report any potential unauthorised access and monitor your accounts closely for suspicious activity. The Supreme Court has also noted that it reports these phishing attacks to law enforcement agencies to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
