Lakhs of rupees in your bank account may turn to zero in seconds if you are not aware of the many new online tricks used by fraudsters. According to the RBI, fraudsters are finding new ways to defraud the gullible public through various ingenious methods.
RBI says that sharing of confidential information by the customers, knowingly or unknowingly, is one of the major causes leading to the financial frauds. Hence, you should be alert while doing online transactions.
The RBI recently released a booklet on the common modus operandi used by fraudsters.
While you may already be aware of some of these tricks, here’s a look at some lesser known but hi-fi methods used by fraudsters according to RBI:
- Frauds using online sales platforms: Fraudsters pretend to be buyers on online sales platforms and show an interest in seller’s product/s. Many fraudsters pretend to be defence personnel posted in remote locations to gain confidence. Instead of paying money to the seller, they use the “request money” option through the UPI app and insist that the seller approve the request by entering UPI PIN. Once the seller enters the PIN, money is transferred to the fraudster’s account.
- Frauds using screen sharing app/Remote access: Fraudsters trick the customer to download a screen sharing app. Using such app, the fraudsters can watch / control the customer’s mobile / laptop and gain access to the financial credentials of the customer. Fraudsters use this information to carry out unauthorised transfer of funds or make payments using the customer’s Internet banking / payment apps.
- Frauds by compromising credentials on results through search engines: Customers use search engines to obtain contact details / customer care numbers of their bank, insurance company, Aadhaar updation centre, etc. These contact details on search engines often do not belong to the respective entity but are made to appear as such by fraudsters. Customers may end up contacting unknown / unverified contact numbers of the fraudsters displayed as bank / company’s contact numbers on search engine. Once the customers call on these contact numbers, the imposters ask the customers to share their card credentials/details for verification. Assuming the fraudster to be a genuine representative of the RE, customers share their secure details and thus fall prey to frauds.
- Scam through QR code scan: Fraudsters often contact customers under various pretexts and trick them into scanning Quick Response (QR) codes using the apps on the customers’ phone. By scanning such QR codes, customers may unknowingly authorise the fraudsters to withdraw money from their account.
- Juice jacking: The charging port of a mobile, can also be used to transfer files / data. Fraudsters use public charging ports to transfer malware to customer phones connected there and take control / access / steal data sensitive data such as emails, SMS, saved passwords, etc. from the customers’ mobile phones (Juice Jacking).
