India has seen a rise in mobile phone scams, and one particular fraudulent scheme recently caught our attention. We spoke to a user who shared her experience, shedding light on how these scams operate.
The victim, a woman who wishes to remain anonymous, received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to have a pending payment of ₹12,000 for her husband and stated that her husband had asked to transfer the money to her account. This scenario seemed plausible to the woman, as her husband often received payments from various sources.
To verify the account, the caller asked if he could send ₹1 as a test transaction. Believing that she was receiving money rather than sending it, the woman agreed. Shortly after, she received a text message similar to those sent by banks for transaction alerts, confirming the receipt of ₹1.
The caller then proceeded to tell the woman that he would send the remaining ₹10,000. Again, she received a text message indicating the transfer. However, when asked if she received an additional ₹2,000, the woman replied that the message showed a transfer of ₹20,000 instead.
Realizing his “mistake,” the caller claimed to have sent extra money by accident and requested the woman to return the excess amount. Alarmed, the woman called her husband to discuss the situation. It was then discovered that no money had been received in their account.
Upon closer examination, it became clear that the scammer had sent the text messages himself, mimicking the format of bank transaction alerts. By having the victim confirm the receipt of these messages during the phone call, the scam went undetected.
Here are some tips to avoid falling victim to similar scams:
1. Check Caller Information: If someone says they’re from a bank or company, ask for their name, department, and contact details. Real organizations will give you this information easily.
2. Don’t Share Personal Info: Don’t tell sensitive things like bank account numbers, passwords, or OTPs (One-Time Passwords) over the phone, especially to strangers.
3. Stay Alert During Transactions: Always double-check details before confirming transactions. If something seems wrong, don’t go ahead until you’re sure it’s legit.
4. Be Cautious of Unexpected Offers: Be careful if you get calls or messages out of the blue, especially if they’re about money or personal info.
5. Report Anything Suspicious: If you think something’s fishy, tell the right people or your bank right away.