Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral
HDFC Bank, India’s leading private sector bank, has strengthened its commitment to digital safety by conducting over 4,000 cyber fraud awareness workshops across the country as part of its ongoing digital banking awareness drive. Since April 2025, these workshops have reached more than 27,000 citizens, equipping them with essential knowledge to safeguard themselves against the growing threat of cyber fraud.
The initiative targets a wide and diverse audience, including school and college students, senior citizens, self-help groups, bank customers, and employees. Through interactive sessions, participants were educated on safe digital banking practices designed to help them recognise and avoid fraudulent activities. The workshops featured real-life examples, stories, and videos that illustrated common tactics used by fraudsters, making the sessions both relatable and impactful. Many of these workshops were conducted in collaboration with Law Enforcement Agencies, further reinforcing their credibility and reach.
Participants were introduced to various fraudster tactics, including how criminals manipulate victims using fear, urgency, greed, or appeals for help. The sessions highlighted prevalent cyber threats such as digital arrest scams, investment frauds, APK frauds, phishing, smishing, vishing, SIM swap scams, remote access frauds, and UPI-related frauds. Practical secure banking tips were also shared, emphasising simple yet effective habits that can significantly reduce risk. The workshops featured ‘Vigil Aunty’ as a relatable awareness ambassador to reinforce these messages.
Attendees were strongly advised never to share sensitive personal or banking information, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and refrain from downloading APK files or attachments received through emails, SMS, or WhatsApp, particularly those impersonating banks, government authorities, or trusted institutions.
Commenting on the initiative, Manish Agrawal, Senior Executive Vice President – Credit Intelligence and Control at HDFC Bank, said that fraudsters are increasingly combining social engineering tactics with technology to exploit customers. He emphasised the importance of awareness in preventing individuals from sharing confidential banking details or engaging with unverified links, urging citizens to always “Pause, Think, and Verify” before taking any action.
HDFC Bank continues to encourage customers to adopt safe digital banking habits and remain vigilant while transacting online. In the event of online fraud, customers are advised to immediately report unauthorised transactions to the bank, block the affected payment mode, and contact the Ministry of Home Affairs’ 1930 cybercrime helpline or file a complaint on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal to prevent further losses.
