Fake Legal Notices Used by Scammers Target People and Entities in India 

• A wave of scam emails use messages written with a false sense of urgency and logos from prestigious Indian institutions.
• Under the guise of legal repercussions, the scammers pretend to accuse users of cybercriminal activities, trying to create fear among receivers.
• The campaign targets individuals as well as organizations and government offices.

Authorities in India have issued an urgent advisory alerting citizens to a growing wave of fraudulent emails impersonating high-ranking officials of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). 

These emails, reportedly claiming to originate from the office of I4C's CEO, Rajesh Kumar, are being used as tools of deception to extort and manipulate unsuspecting recipients. They pressure recipients to respond under the guise of legal repercussions, creating a sense of urgency and fear. 

The counterfeit emails, often titled with alarming subject lines such as “Urgent Notification!” and “Court Notification,” falsely accuse recipients of involvement in cybercriminal activities. 

What adds a layer of credibility to the scam is the misuse of logos from prestigious Indian institutions, including the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the Delhi Police. 

The emails also fraudulently reference senior governmental officials by name, making the communication appear legitimate. These deceptive tactics target not just individuals but also organizations and government offices, further complicating the threat landscape.

While the campaign's end game has not yet been unveiled, the PIB Fact Check team, tasked with combatting misinformation, has flagged these emails as fake. 

Via a statement posted on its official Twitter handle (@PIBFactCheck), the bureau clarified, “It is important to emphasize that neither the undersigned nor this unit has initiated such emails. No authorization has been granted for the creation or dissemination of this misleading content.” 

The release reinforced a call for vigilance against falling prey to such fraudulent schemes.

Earlier this year, a new malware campaign called ‘Operation Celestial Force’ was observed targeting entities and individuals in India via an Android-based malware and a Windows-based malware loader, with targets seemingly connected to official government entities.