Cyber fraud is rampant, be aware and mindful

You may be an extremely cautious person, but sometimes scammers can get the better of you. A Pune resident learnt this the hard way. He was checking out hospitals online for a consultation and when he got a call from someone claiming to be from one of the well-known hospitals he had visited virtually, he found no reason to suspect the veracity of the caller.

So much so that he readily opened the link sent to his mobile phone for payment of the ‘registration fee’ for appointment with a doctor, and transferred the money through it. It was only when his bank informed him that ~64,000 had been deducted from his account through various online transactions, did he realise that he had been taken for a ride! Obviously, the cybercriminals had installed some spyware on his phone, possibly through an application he had installed, and were following his digital footprint.

Today, online frauds have become rampant. Worse, with the help of artificial intelligence, cybercriminals are perfecting their modus operandi to such an extent that it is becoming almost impossible for consumers to identify the fake. Earlier, poor language skills exposed them, but with AI, language is not a barrier anymore. There have been ‘fake traffic challan’ scams, ‘narcotics-in-your-parcel’ fraud, ‘Aadhaar card linked to terrorism’ hoax, cryptocurrency and investment rackets, online loan and job scams, matrimonial cons, frauds through impersonation using deep fakes and voice cloning. Well, the list is endless and the victims in many cases have lost their entire savings, or incurred huge liabilities.

Recently, a reader told me about a phone call that he received — an automated pre-recorded message in faultless English and Hindi, telling him that it was from the Reserve Bank of India and that his bank accounts would be frozen in two hours for involvement in ‘illegal transactions’. ‘Press 9 for more information,’ said the voice at the other end. Consumers have also got such calls claiming to be from their bank, asking whether they had made a transaction of considerable amount on their debit or credit card. Press #1 to confirm and #9 to deny and report the fraud, they are told. In their anxiety, people press #9 and are asked to give their name, card number and date of birth to confirm their identity. Next, they are sent a link or an app on WhatsApp with malicious software, ostensibly to lodge a complaint with the cybercrime police. When they open the link or install the app and follow the instructions, they end up becoming victims of cybercriminals.

Recently, a friend received an authentic-looking email from the ‘cybercrime police’, saying she was under their radar for using her Internet connection for child pornography!

Last year, a senior citizen lost ~1 lakh to another carefully crafted ploy. It all started with the man trying to add ~155 worth of talk time and data on his phone. The bank deducted the money, but the recharge was unsuccessful. He sent an email to the service provider, and was asked to contact his bank. Meanwhile, someone claiming to be an executive of the service provider called and said they would credit ~155 to his bank account. To facilitate that, they asked him to download an application and scan his debit card on it. The app that he downloaded was Rust Desk — an open source remote access and control software, using which the fraudster carried out transactions worth over ~1 lakh on his card. Obviously, the man’s email was compromised.

While the Central government as well as several state governments are equipping cybercrime police with sophisticated equipment and skills to track and nab online scammers, consumers need to exercise utmost caution and resist the temptation to click on any links sent on email, WhatsApp or SMS, or download applications sent by anyone, as they are the source of malware that can track your online browsing, steal crucial data stored on your computer or phone and access your email.

So, even if your service provider sends a link to help you pay your dues, it would be safer to download the official app of the service provider, or go to its authentic website to pay. If you want an app, go to your phone’s official store and download the app from there, but only after reading the user reviews and ensuring its authenticity. And allow the app to access only those controls or data that is necessary for its functioning. Install good anti-virus software and always download the security updates sent by your phone’s computer operating systems.

If anyone calls from an unknown number, claiming to be from your service provider or even the police, disconnect and call them on the official number provided on their website. Keep yourself updated on online frauds. Remember, today, every Internet user is at risk. Only your awareness and presence of mind can save you.