Any message claiming to be from the leading wind turbine manufacturer, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Ltd, could be the beginning of a phishing attack. The warning was issued by Kerala police on Friday.

The fraud begins with a message from your friends or other close contacts asking you to click on the link 'http://www.sgrien.shop'. Once you click on the link and register on the website, you become a member of a WhatsApp group. 

Once in the WhatsApp group, the user becomes what the police call "baited". The baited user is then subjected to some skilled persuasion. For the baited, the promises and assurances could seem compelling, as they are made by representatives of a reputable company like Siemens. "The fraudsters convince the user to install a fake app that will allow them to invest in the turbine company and reap big profits," the police said in a statement. Phishing is a kind of cyberattack in which online fraudsters posing as legitimate or trustworthy entities or individuals bait unsuspecting internet users into revealing sensitive information like login credentials or financial details.

Initially, to maintain trustworthiness, investors are paid small amounts as dividends, which in police circles is referred to as "hallucinatory pills". Then the fraudsters goad the baited, who now hallucinate about riches, to canvass more people into the investment scheme on the lines of a money chain and get additional financial benefits. The pool of the "hallucinating baited" gets widened.

After a time, say six months or more, the dividends stop coming. When the people ask why the money flow has ceased, the fraudsters pepper them with various reasons, most common of which is a temporary setback in business as a result of some market crash in a faraway country. "After a while, when they have been stripped of most of their hard-earned savings, they will realise that they have been duped," the police said.

The statement issued by the Kerala Police urged the public to keep away from online job or investment schemes that promise exorbitant profits. "Such fraudsters will have no connections whatsoever with the company they pretend to represent," the police release said.

Siemens Energy has long denied it. In a September 2024 Facebook post, it said: "We took notice of the recent fraudulent activities being conducted on various online platforms, including Telegram, Facebook and Instagram, falsely using the name of Siemens Energy and it’s employees to promote investments. Siemens Energy does not operate any investment platforms. We strongly advise the public to refrain from investing or depositing money on any social media or offline platforms claiming to be associated with Siemens Energy."

If you come across online fraud or have become a victim of one, either call 1930 or click on the website https://cybercrime.gov.in and register your complaint.