Meta and Ayushmann Khurrana join hands to empower people against Online Scams

Meta and Ayushmann Khurrana join hands to empower people against Online Scams

The safety campaign is in collaboration with MeitY, I4C and MIB and supports the Government’s goal of combating scams and cyber frauds

India | October 14th, 2024: Meta today launched its safety campaign ‘Scams se Bacho’ and has partnered with Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana to educate people on how to stay safe from online scams and promote safer digital practices. Launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Meta’s campaign emphasizes the company’s commitment to safeguard people online, supporting the Government’s goal to combat the rising cases of scams and cyber frauds in the country. 

The educational campaign showcases some of the most common scams people face in their daily lives, encouraging people to stay alert and exercise caution before they take any action. The film further  highlights the host of safety features on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp that empower users to take control of their online safety. You can see the full film here: https://www.facebook.com/MetaIndia/videos/1082499483221216/.

In the film, Ayushmann Khurrana stars as a vigilant wedding guest who encounters people at the brink of falling prey to scams and saves the day with his quick thinking and comedic flair. Highlighting Meta’s safety features like Two-factor authentication, Block and Report, WhatsApp’s group privacy settings, the campaign is an important reminder of how Meta’s in-built product features and safety tools equip people with the necessary safeguards to help protect them from online scams, frauds and account compromising threats. 

Commenting on the launch of the campaign, Ayushmann Khurrana said, “In today’s digital landscape, with the rampant increase of online scams and frauds that sometimes can seem very convincing – it’s crucial that we stay vigilant and educate ourselves about how to stay safe. I’m thrilled to be a part of Meta’s safety initiative that aims to drive awareness around how people can safeguard themselves from potential cyber scams. It’s an important reminder to think twice before you act and use Meta’s safety tools at your disposal, empowering you to take control of your online safety.”  

Shivnath Thukral, Vice President and Head of Public Policy, Meta India, added, “We recognize the severity of the rising incidents of online scams and believe combatting this issue requires concrete and cooperative measures across the ecosystem. Meta continues to invest in technology and resources to stay ahead of scammers and our safety campaign ‘Scams se Bacho’ is an extension of our efforts to educate users about the safety tools and features they have at their fingertips to protect themselves from scams online. We hope this campaign resonates with our users and equips them with the information they need to secure themselves along with reinforcing consumer habits that can help them stay safe and protect their friends and family.”

Showcasing a wide range of scams ranging from OTP scams that compromise personal accounts and confidential information, Impersonation scams where scammers create a sense of urgency to trick people into giving them money, trading and investment scams promising unreasonable returns and fake loans apps and offers – the campaign demonstrates how Meta’s simple yet effective safety features can help secure people from online scams and frauds.  

Meta has over 40,000 people working on safety and security globally, with more than $20 billion invested in teams and technology since 2016. This includes 15,000 content reviewers who review content across Facebook, Instagram and Threads in more than 70 languages – including 20 Indian languages. Over the past three years, Meta has launched 50+ safety tools and features to promote online safety and we’re always looking at new ways to help educate consumers about online safety, as well as finding new methods to strengthen our systems against scam content.