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Videocon d2h alleges fake websites
NEW DELHI: Videocon d2h, the Direct-to-Home service provider, has lodged a complaint with the Mumbai Cyber Cell Police Station, Bandra Kurla Complex, requesting them to block certain fake websites which are using the Videocon d2h brand name to cheat the public and malign their brand name.
Said Bharat Business Channel Ltd (BBCL) CEO Anil Khera, “Our official website is “www.videocond2h.com” and the same is being used in all our customer communications with regard to our DTH services. Some anti social elements have deliberately and with an intention to cause wrongful business loss and with a view to malign our brand image has created fake websites having deceptively similar names.”
The fake websites which have been created are:
www.videocond2hdish.com
Consumers have reported that they have received SMS on their mobile asking them to log on to these websites wherein they are illegally and wrongfully prompted to provide their mobile number. Once the number is given, the next page opens with an icon of ‘Next’ prompting the customer to press the said icon. Thereafter, on the third page, a fake authorization letter opens and informs the customers that they have won a free Videocon d2h product with free package subscription of duration ranging from 2 years to lifetime.
The fake authorization letter further asks the customer to deposit an amount towards customer service tax in an account with a bank for which the details are provided and to fax the deposit slip to a specified number.
“We have, through the Cyber Cell Police Station also requested the State Bank of India, Bank of India, Syndicate Bank, Axis Bank and other financial institutions to issue necessary directions so that the operation of the fake accounts can be stopped and money deposited by the public goes back to them. These fake websites are causing damage to us and financial loss to the public at large,” Khera added.
Videocon d2h has taken immediate and necessary steps to prevent the general public from falling into the hands of such fake and illegal websites and endeavours to create awareness on the increasing number of frauds in the industry as well. Most of these websites have already been blocked and action is being taken against the concerned.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
