| Points: | 10 |
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Alert - Ongoing Cyber Crimes, Scams and Frauds to Avoid Getting Trapped
This is a list of ongoing ways in which people are getting cheated on a large scale. There are many situations in which individuals are convinced to pay money to avoid "digital arrest" or to avoid a criminal case being filed against them. Yesterday I was thinking of posting this in the forum and coincidentally got a WA message with a list of a few such frauds to which I have also put my own input to make a comprehensive list. If you know of any more, please share the details.1. TRAI call: TRAI is the acronym for the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. You will get a call stating that your number has been used for illegal activities and that you are under the police scanner. You are told to report immediately to XYZ police station where an FIR has been filed against you with your ID proof. This is what happened to my own family. A family member truly believed it because the guy who called was very convincing and when asked for more details handed the phone to a lady who claimed to be a lawyer in TRAI. They are very glib, so much so that my family member did rush to the police station and on reaching there realized there was no such thing and it was a scam. The police said thank goodness no payment was made! Ignore such calls supposedly from TRAI.
2. FedEx call: FedEx is a globally renowned courier company. You will receive a call stating there is a package for you and to press a particular number or will be given a link to accept delivery of the package. Do not press the number they state. Do not click on any link sent to you. If not FedX, it could be some other courier company.
3. Calls from the Police: Do not believe anyone claiming to be a Police Officer who gives some bogus claims about a case against you or will ask for your Aadhaar number. Ignore. In some scams, video calls are made with the scamster dressed up in a police uniform and the police logo in the background. Do not open video calls from unknown people.
4. Airport package call: You will receive a call saying a package in your name has arrived at the airport and that if you wish to have it delivered, you must pay so-and-so amount. Another scam is to claim that it contains drugs/jewellery/expensive watches/any other type of goods and if you wish to avoid arrest you must pay up. Ignore.
5. UPI call: You will receive a call stating that by mistake some money was credited to you through UPI and that you should revert the amount and pay them back. Ignore.
6. Scamming professionals: Physiotherapists, yoga instructors, fitness instructors and the like are approached through WA or even in person by people claiming to be in the Army/Navy/Air Force and require their services. They are shown bogus IDs and are told to make a security deposit payment for scheduling group sessions. Do not believe them.
7. Calls from Govt. authorities: Calls may come from CBI, ED, IT Department, etc: Do not believe any callers claiming to be employees/senior officials from govt. departments.
8. Fake calls/messages from your boss or a senior admin. official in your company: A person sends a message seemingly from the boss, complete with the WA profile photo of the boss, stating that the contact no. has changed and that he/she requires money or to pay for something bought. Since as an employee you have been routinely following orders on transactions, you believe it and transfer the money.
9. Call of a family member/friend abroad in distress: You will get a WA/email saying that your family member or friend who is abroad requires money right away to get out of the custody of the police/some official. You believe it and transfer the money.
10. Bank call: You receive a call/email from your bank stating that your account will be closed due to incomplete KYC (Know Your Customer) documents. They send a link/call to ask for your Aadhaar number, then ask for the PIN and OTP.
11. Marriage invite: This is a fairly new one, wherein a marriage invite is sent on WA and may mention supposed arrangements have been made for your stay. The digital invite is used to spread malware and steal personal data when you click on it. The invite either comes in the form of a PDF or has a link which redirects to a malicious site. An APK (Android Package Kit) file is used to download malware.
- Do not download the invite, or open any PDF, or click on any link. I would suggest that if you get an invite for an event, whether online or at a venue in your city, asking you to register via a link given, check it out thoroughly.
12. Calls from unknown numbers: There are some numbers from which a call will come and they hang up after a single ring. It will likely be an international number. Do not call back. If a call comes, instructing you to dial a particular digit or a pair of digits, don't. Ignore. It may be a trick to access your SIM and make calls at your expense.
13. It seems now even our voice can be impersonated with AI, so it has been advised to avoid even saying "Hello" if at all you do answer a call from an unknown number. Don't know how far this is true, just came to know about it recently.
So whether you get a call/email/WA message from the cyber crime cell, the police or the highest govt. authorities, do not fall for it. NEVER share your bank account number, PIN, Aadhaar, OTP and personal information like where you stay and what work you do. It is also advisable to visit the bank personally if the Aadhaar no. or any other type of ID is asked for by a bank official rather than sharing it on WA.
Complaints can be registered at https://cybercrime.gov.in/
- On this portal, you can register a complaint about financial fraud, crimes against women/children, and any other type of cybercrime. However, take care not to get scammed by someone claiming to be a Cyber Crime Officer whose name matches the one you know. Impersonation through WA is also becoming common.
Remember: No matter the threat, maintain a stoic silence to avoid digital fraud and report it immediately.
