The Nepal Police on Wednesday launched a digital fraud awareness campaign using an unconventional April Fool’s Day tactic on social media to highlight the risks of scanning unknown links.

At around 12:15 pm, the security agency posted an image of handcuffs on its official Facebook page with a provocative question: “Has any complaint or petition been filed against you?” The post included a QR code, which immediately drew widespread engagement and concern.

However, users who scanned the code were directed to a message revealing the prank: “We joked today, but tomorrow a similar QR code could lead you into a scam.”

The initiative comes amid a sharp rise in digital fraud cases across the country.

Although the campaign went viral, it also triggered a debate online regarding the ethics of the approach. Some social media users praised the police for the creative engagement, while others argued that deceptive messaging from a law enforcement agency could inadvertently undermine public trust in official communications.