Reserve Bank of India had published a booklet to make everyone aware of the modus operandi followed by fraudsters for cyber economic crimes. The booklet also lists out do’s and don’ts. Relevant excerpts are summarised below.
- FRAUD THROUGH PHISHING LINKS : Obtaining your details through fraud KYC links.
Do
+Always cross-check the KYC status with your home branch or through your relationship manager when you receive calls, links or SMS from unknown sources requesting you to update KYC.
+Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in
Don’t
– Don’t click on unknown/unsolicited links received on the phone/email without verifying it.
– Don’t share your confidential details with strangers.
- VISHING CALLS : Call regarding Activation or deactivation of insurance policy.
Do
+Always cross-check with your relationship manager or bank branch about any issue before trusting anyone.
+OTP is like a key to your safe wealth, so always keep it away from fraudsters.
+Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in
Don’t
– Don’t trust unknown callers claiming to be speaking on behalf of banks asking for confidential information / details. Banks don’t seek such details over phone.
– Never trust strangers in the digital world easily, and be cautious while answering calls from unknown numbers.
- FRAUD USING ONLINE MARKETPLACES: Obtaining your account info through online selling and buying sites.
Do
+Always remember, UPI PIN is required only to make a payment and is not required to receive any payment.
+Always verify the mobile number In the UPI application before Initiating a payment.
+Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and Notional Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in
Don’t
– Don’t shore OTP or confidential account details with strangers.
– Don’t enter the UPI PIN to receive on amount from another person.
- CREDIT CARD ANNUAL FEE WAIVER- FAKE OFFER : Obtaining OTP on this pretext.
Do
+ Be cautious while responding to calls from unknown numbers claiming to be from your bank.
+ Report to your Home branch immediately on realizing the fraud.
+ Block your card to prevent further financial loss.
+ Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https:// cybercrime.gov.in
Don’t
– Don’t share your OTP with anyone. Fraudsters might be able to collect your account details. but transactions can only happen if you share the confidential OTP sent to your phone.
- ATM CARD SKIMMING FRAUD
Do
+ Before initiating any transaction in the ATM machines, ensure that skimming devices ore not present. Skimming devices are hidden by fraudsters by overlapping them with the card insertion slot.
+ Report the fraud to the bank within 3 days of the card cloning incident.
+ Check your transaction history frequently to verify all transactions.
+ Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and Notional Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at (https:/Icybercrime.gov.in)
Don’t
– Don’t give your ATM card to anyone on the ATM premises to transect on your behalf. This kind of social engineering is being used to target senior citizens/semi-educated persons who have difficulty operating ATMs.
- FRAUD USING SCREEN SHARING APP/REMOTE ACCESS : Using a screen sharing app to obtain your info.
Do
+ Verify the authenticity of the offer on the official website of the entity concerned.
+ Install antivirus/spam blocking software on your mobile phone.
+ Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in
Don’t
– Don’t download any applications over links sent through SMS, Email or instant messaging applications.
– Don’t download the screen-sharing application shared by any unknown persons.
– Screen sharing codes generated by these apps should not be shared with unknown persons.
- SIM SWAP/ SIM CLONING : Obtaining your Sim info and deactivating it at the same time cloning it to carry out the fraud.
Do
+ Verify the status of the SIM card with your Telecom Service Provider when in doubt instead of believing unknown callers.
+ Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in
Don’t
– Don’t share confidential details like Aadhaar number and SIM number with unknown callers.
- FRAUDS BY COMPROMISING CREDENTIALS THROUGH SEARCH ENGINES: Making payment on unknown link.
Do
+ Always obtain the contact details/customer service number, etc. from the official website of the service provider only.
+ Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https:/ /cybercrime.gov.in
Don’t
– Don’t contact random phone numbers obtained from web search engines, especially for doing financial translation.
- SCAM THROUGH QR CODE SCAN: Scanning QR code from unknown source and entering pin.
Do
+ Educate yourself about QR codes before using them.
+ Report the transaction immediately to your bank.
+ Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in
Dont
– Don’t enter your UPI PIN to receive money from another person. UPI PIN is required only for sending a payment, not for receiving.
– Don’t scan QR codes to receive any payment. QR code needs to be scanned for sending a payment, not for receiving Money.
- IMPERSONATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA : Impersonation on social media and asking for monetary help.
Do
+ Verify by calling/meeting the real person before making a payment.
+ Always check the account details before making any payment.
+ Report the incident to the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in
Dont
– Don’t keep your personal information like mobile number, email id and friend list open to the public.
– Don’t accept friend requests/ follow requests from people you have never met in person.
Bottom Line
It is better to be aware and always play safe.
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References and credits
Reserve Bank of India.
Disclaimer:
Information and data included in the blog are for educational & non-commercial purposes only and have been carefully adapted, excerpted, or edited from sources deemed reliable and accurate. All copyrighted material belongs to respective owners and is provided only for purposes of wider dissemination.
