Additional director general of police (CID)A K Mathur , in a statement issued here, said many mobile phone users had received short message services in their phones or emails telling them that they have won fabulous money prizes.
A typical sms reads: ''Your telephone number has just been awarded 2,000,000 USD from Petrol Development 2011.'' Mr Mathur said the sms then directs the receiver to check details in certain website addresses.
''The users are then lured to make money deposits in banks, often in more than one installment under the pretext of meeting the expenditure related to administrative charges and air travel,'' he said.
Mr Mathur said, such SMS and emails were aimed at cheating gullible people.
''People are advised not to believe in such swindling SMS or emails. They should not deposit any money,'' he said.