A simple safety checklist for your phone, laptop and money
Written for normal people, not for computer experts. Every item tells you exactly where to tap and why it matters. Tick things off as you go - nothing you tick is sent anywhere, it stays on your own phone or computer.
Six things that stop most of it
Never share an OTP with anybody
Not with a bank, not with a delivery agent, not with a friend who says they sent it to you by mistake. No real company will ever ask you for it. That last one - the friend who says it came to you by accident - is a scam almost every time.
If a call frightens you or rushes you, hang up
Then call back on a number you already have - from your own phone book, your passbook, or the back of your card. Never a number the caller gives you. A real problem will still be there in ten minutes.
Install apps only from the Play Store or App Store
Never from a link in WhatsApp, SMS or email. A file ending in .apk sent to you is almost always an attack, even when it comes from someone you know.
Never let anyone see or control your screen
AnyDesk, TeamViewer, QuickSupport and apps like them. No bank, no Amazon, no electricity board and no government office will ever ask you to install one. If somebody asks, it is a scam every single time.
Your UPI PIN is only for sending money, never for receiving
Nobody needs your PIN, a QR scan or an 'approve' tap to give you money. If someone says you must do any of those to receive a payment, they are taking money from you, not giving it.
Keep your phone and laptop updated
Most attacks use a hole that was already fixed months ago. When your phone asks to update, say yes - do it that evening, not next month.
Checklist
107 things to check on your phone, laptop, Wi-Fi and bank. Pick your devices and tick them off.
Start the checklist →Common scams
12 scams doing the rounds right now, what each one looks like, and how to spot it before it costs you.
Read about scams →If something went wrong
Money gone, phone stolen, clicked something, account taken over, being threatened. Step by step, starting now.
Get help now →What this guide is
Stay Safe Online is a free digital safety guide for families in India, written in plain language for people who are not computer experts. It walks you through the exact settings to check on an Android phone, an iPhone, a Windows or Mac laptop and your home Wi-Fi router, and it explains the scams doing the rounds right now: UPI and OTP fraud, the so-called digital arrest, AI voice cloning, fake trading apps, task-based job fraud and loan-app blackmail. Every item says where to tap and why it matters. There is a WhatsApp safety checklist, a section on locking your Aadhaar, and a step-by-step page for the day something goes wrong, with the 1930 cyber fraud helpline and cybercrime.gov.in. The guide is available in English, Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi, works on any phone, keeps nothing about you, and is meant to be shared with parents, children and friends.
Questions people ask
How do I know if my phone has been hacked?
The usual signs are a battery that drains fast, data usage you cannot explain, apps you did not install, and OTPs or bank messages arriving for things you did not do. On Android, open Settings ▸ Accessibility ▸ Downloaded apps and Settings ▸ Apps ▸ Special app access ▸ Device admin apps - anything you do not recognise there is a serious warning. If in doubt, turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data, change your email and bank passwords from a different device, and follow the steps on the help page.
I shared an OTP by mistake. What should I do right now?
Assume money is about to move. Call your bank on the number printed on your card and ask them to block the account or card, then call 1930. Change the password of the account the OTP was for, and of your email. Do not wait to see whether anything happens - the first hour is when a transfer can still be stopped.
Do I need to scan a QR code or enter my UPI PIN to receive money?
No, never. Scanning a QR code and entering your PIN always sends money out. To receive money you only give your UPI ID or phone number. Anybody who says you must scan, approve a request, or enter a PIN to get paid is taking money from you.
How do I stop scam calls on my phone?
On WhatsApp, turn on Settings ▸ Privacy ▸ Calls ▸ Silence unknown callers. On the phone itself, turn on your dialler's spam protection and register for DND with your operator. Report scam numbers through the Chakshu section of sancharsaathi.gov.in so they are blocked for everyone. And never call back a missed international number you do not know.
What is 1930 and when should I call it?
1930 is India's national cyber fraud helpline. Call it the moment money leaves your account because of a scam - not the next day. The first few hours are when the transfer can still be frozen. Also file a written complaint at cybercrime.gov.in; both are needed.
How do I lock my Aadhaar?
Go to myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in, sign in with your Aadhaar number and OTP, and choose Lock/Unlock Biometrics. This stops fingerprint-based payment fraud. While you are there, generate a VID to give out instead of your Aadhaar number, and download the masked Aadhaar to use wherever someone asks for a copy.
Which antivirus should I install on an Android phone?
For most people, none. Play Protect is already built in, and on Android 16 the Advanced Protection switch does more than any third-party app. If you want one extra, M-Kavach 2 from C-DAC is free, has no ads and does not sell your data. Avoid free cleaner and booster apps - they mostly show adverts and collect data.
Is public Wi-Fi safe for banking?
No. At an airport, hotel, café or station, use your own phone's hotspot instead. If you must join a public network, do not do banking on it, and never sign in with your Google or Facebook account on a Wi-Fi login page - no real network needs that.
How can I protect my parents' phone from scams?
Three things do most of the work: agree a family code word so a panicked call can be checked; set up NextDNS on their phone from your own panel so scam sites are blocked before they open; and run through the checklist on this site together once. Tell them clearly that they will never be in trouble for calling you when something feels wrong.
What is a digital arrest?
A scam where callers in uniform, on a video call, claim your Aadhaar, SIM or bank account is linked to a crime, and keep you on camera and silent while you transfer money to clear your name. There is no such thing as a digital arrest in Indian law. No officer arrests anyone over a video call or asks for money to settle a case. Hang up and tell someone.