Sarah Baloch Viral Video Scam! Who Is Pakistani Creator Sarah Baloch and How Is She Linked to the Assam Cyberattack?
Sarah Baloch viral video: Scammers use the image of Pakistani social media influencer Sarah Baloch and a fake Assam viral story to steal Indian user data. Indian users of social media are the target of a complex cyberattack that uses the identity and reputation of Pakistani blogger Sarah Baloch. Cybercriminals have spread a “viral” MMS story linked to an alleged “Assam” incident to fool unsuspecting people into clicking on harmful links, which compromise devices and personal security.
Experts in online security have released an urgent alert. The trending content, they warn, is actually a “phishing campaign” designed to capitalize on local curiosity.
Sarah Baloch, a Pakistani video creator, is known for her travel, lifestyle and fashion vlogs. Her large following on Instagram and TikTok makes her a target of “clickbait scams” due to her high engagement rate. Hackers reused old footage unrelated to this influencer. They quickly spread the information by posting her picture with provocative titles. Sarah Baloch is not responsible for the links. It is not her image that has been used.
Also Read: Sarah Baloch Viral Video Alert: Pakistani Influencer Accused of Sharing Fake ‘Assam’ Link
The Assam Phishing Scam: What it is and how it works
Scammers target Indian users using a scamming technique known as localization. To attract attention in the region, harmful messages include captions such as “Shocking News from Assam”, “Sarah Baloch Viral Video Incident” and “Assam shocking news”. A blurred or suggestive thumbnail of a Sarah Baloch is paired with a sensational Assam headline. The link doesn’t lead to any news reports. Users are instead directed to several dubious domains. The sites ask the user to enter their social media credentials to “Verify age” or install adware or spyware in the background.
How To Identify A Fake Viral Link
These warning signs will help you avoid identity theft and financial fraud. The first warning sign is a context mismatch. A video featuring a Pakistani celebrity is likely to be a fake. Another indicator is suspicious URLs. Trusted news comes from reliable domains like timesofindia. indiatimes.com. Fraudsters use shortened or meaningless links. For example, bit.ly/3xyz and wp update-news.co.
Also Read: Online hearts are won by Khan Sir’s Viral ‘Selection Wala Dance’ with toppers in JEE Main Results
This is an old trick. It is not uncommon for a website to ask you to send the link to “10 WhatsApp Groups” to watch the video. This scam will make you a willing distributor of hackers.
Protective Protocol: What To Do If You Clicked
Follow these steps immediately if you have received these messages or acted on one. Don’t share the message. Let the sender of the message know the link was harmful. To remove tracking scripts, close the tab on your browser and clear its cache and cookies. Go to the settings of your mobile phone and check that no apps you don’t recognize have “Accessibility” permissions or “Notifications” permissions. Two-factor authentication is a great way to protect your banking and social media apps from unauthorized access, even if you have lost your password.
