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Journalism of Courage
As the preparations for the Ayodhya Ram Temple’s pran pratishtha (establishment of the image in its vital breath or bringing life to the temple) are in full swing, scammers are misusing this opportunity and are exploiting people of their hard-earned money by luring them with fake VIP invites for the event.
According to a report by News18, several users have started receiving an APK (android application package) named ‘Ram Janmabhoomi Grihsampark Abhiyan.APK’ and prompting users to install the same on their Android smartphones to get VIP access to the Ram Mandir pran pratishtha event and is even promoting people to forward the same to others.
Right now, the report does not highlight what this APK actually does. However, it is likely to contain some form of spyware, which, when installed could steal user data by hacking into the smartphone. From accessing the real-time location to conducting financial frauds, this single app could take over the smartphone and also steal personal information like contacts, private photos, and videos.
Do note that neither the government (state or central) nor the Ram Madir trust has launched any kind of app for the VIP invites, and even if they release such an app. Hence, this is a bogus application that could lead to financial losses and data theft.
This is a major issue on Android smartphones, and iPhone users aren’t affected by this scam as Apple does not allow users to sideload apps on iPhones.
Several websites claim to deliver Ram Mandir Prasad for free where users only have to pay the shipping charge. Right now, there is no confirmation if such websites are legitimate or how they offer these services for free, and it is always advised to stay away from such platforms, as they will get access to your phone number, email, and address.
