DTH operator Airtel Digital today advised its customers to avoid responding to suspicious/fraudulent messages offering free connections, which ask for personal information.

In an advisory, Bharti Airtel's DTH arm, Airtel Digital said some customers are arbitrarily being targeted by fake messages sent on their GSM mobile numbers on behalf of Airtel digital TV/Airtel Advertising Serve, informing the recipient that he/she has won a free Airtel digital TV connection worth Rs 3,399.

The company advised the public in general to avoid responding to such suspicious SMSes and has also asked them to refrain from sharing personal information, identity proof, SIM number or bank account number and credit card details.

"In case of any suspicious SMS, report the same to the concerned security authorities/service provider at the earliest," Airtel said.

Elaborating on the fraud, the company said a customer receives a message from TM-DishTV on their GSM mobile phones with a message in Hindi which reads as 'Airtel ki taraf se aapke mobile no pe Airtel digital Set Top Box Aapko diya jata hai bilkul FREE. Log onto http://airteldth.hpage.com,' or a similar message in English.

When the customer logs on to the specified website, he/she is asked to share a copy of his/her driving licence, pan card or voter ID card, to avail the free Airtel digital TV connection.

Following this, the customer is asked to pay the consumer service tax, post which a customer care executive calls to confirm the product delivery date.

"Airtel would like to warn all its customers that these are messages from fraudsters with malicious intent and that they do not represent Airtel," it said.