Cops warn parents, students about ‘scholarship fraud’

Chennai: As school and college admissions are in full swing, a new ‘scholarship fraud' targeting parents has surfaced across the state. The fraudsters pose as ‘officials' offering student scholarships and dupe parents.Govt scholarships for school and college students are disbursed directly into dedicated bank accounts opened in the students' names. However, taking advantage of this system, unidentified scammers have begun contacting parents through phone calls, messages and social media platforms, falsely claiming that their children had been selected for ‘special scholarships' or ‘financial assistance'.The fraudsters tell parents that the scholarship amount is ready for disbursement but requires ‘processing'. They then ask for sensitive banking details such as account numbers, OTPs and debit or credit card information. In some instances, they also demand a small ‘processing fee' to release the funds.Several parents and students in Vyasarpadi, Pallipattu and Santhanavenugopalapuram received such calls. The callers insisted that pending fees must be cleared to receive the scholarship and persuaded parents to transfer money via digital payment platforms.Victims later discovered that money was fraudulently withdrawn from their accounts after sharing the requested details. Concerned families have since approached the police. Police have initiated an investigation into the matter and are working to trace the culprits.Cybercrime officials said such scams are on the rise and often target families during admission and exam result seasons when scholarship announcements are common. Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid sharing personal or banking information with unknown callers. Officials emphasised that genuine scholarship schemes do not require OTPs, passwords or processing fees for disbursement, and advised victims to immediately report such frauds on the national cybercrime helpline 1930.