Online Frauds & Phishing

Lot many individuals become a victim of online frauds & phishing. These days one can not stay away from technology and indulge in online transactions. However, a great many people don't learn it appropriately, barely focus on the guidelines & safety measures to take, and much easily rely on an outside third party.

Types of call or messages or emails, we often get as: 

• I am calling from State Bank and we offer a guaranteed product of 11%
• I am calling from IRDA and your money back payment from the insurance company is not paid as your bank detail is not updated with us
• I am calling from Icici / SBI / HDFC / Kotak and there is a guaranteed scheme of ......
• I am calling from xyz insurance and there is a waiver of GST or discount in premium .... 
• I am calling from Income Tax dept. regarding your IT refunds 
• Your Debit card is going to block today... pl share last four-digit card number
• You got a lottery of 1 lac pound, pl deposit 10,000 in the account number...
• Your parcel arrived at customs, we have opened it due to security check and found value worth Rs....... Now you need to pay a duty of Rs.... to claim your parcel
• There is a gift hamper for you... Please come to the hotel along with your spouse, attend a 1-hour seminar & collect your parcel
• Install mobile tower at the house with NOC of TRAI 
• One of your friend asking for immediate money on Facebook

Once we entertain the call, further details are sought from us and we get into the trap of fraud. Understand following do's and don't to avoid any trap. 

Don'ts:

• Do not share your personal details
• Do not share Bank account number & IFSC code
• Do not share Credit Card / Debit Card Number
• Do not share CVV number (in any case)
• Do not share OTP (in any case)
• Do not share your policy number/folio number/signature
• Do not share your PAN, Aadhar, or any personal documents
• Do not give a blank cheque
• Do not give a signed delivery slip of Demat in advance to share broker or common transaction slip of Mutual Fund

Dos:

• Can give identify proof & address proof to authenticate company for KYC
• Provide canceled cheque but without a signature
• Provide masked Aadhar copy (where all numbers are not visible)
• Keep your checkbook in a secured place like your currency & valuables
• If any scheme, do ask them to provide information through email with supporting leaflets, etc.

Further, beware of online social media fraud:

If you receive any request from one of your best friends on social media asking for immediate financial help, do not follow it blindly. Do some verification checks as it could be a hacker.

a) Call your friend & talk directly or otherwise ask your friend to call back. Check whether he has called from his registered mobile number already with you.

b) There could also be a possibility if social media account got hacked so as the mobile number too. Check the voice & tonality of the caller. Ask for the video calling.

c) Ask for the Bank details and see whether the mandate is in name of your friend or belongs to any third party. Check the given IFSC code of the bank, whether it is of the same city where your friend is residing. If a Paytm number is given, check whether it belongs to the same number you already have.

d) Ask him to send his current location and also the contact number of his family member, if you know them.

e) Check whether the personal details of the social media profile are matched with your friend or a fake id is created.

f) Finally, speak to any of your common friends.

Remember, if the request received through social media, mobile number is not matched, not able to get video call and/or payment is asked in third party name, now are know what to do the next!

Beware of fraud calls / SMS / emails. 

• There is no free lunch in life... you have to spend your time, money, energy to earn.
• There can not be 5 chawanni (5 twenty-five paisa) in a rupee.
• Do not instantly jump into any kind of freebie being offered to you.
• Do analyze properly of 1+1 free offer.
• Income Tax dept, TRAI, IRDA, SEBI, RBI doesn't make calls or advice you directly.
• And understand, if you get some free gift from someone unknown, you might be obliged to do a favor later on.