If you check recent news, you’d be amazed to see how we’re gradually being thrust under uncountable instances of cybercrime. McAfee report reveals that over 83 percent of the number of people who receive a fake AI-generated fraud call in India, fall for it and lose money to the scam. Our world of digitization is continuously inviting feasible scam tactics for fraudsters. A single phone call can tempt individuals into divulging their personal information to these scammers. Individuals often fall victim to significant financial losses due to phone scams, sometimes involving their entire life savings. In the guise of call center agents or authorized bank representatives, these fraudsters have figured out innumerable ways to cheat you out of your money over the phone. Fraudsters employ various tactics to earn your trust, employing monetary incentives, posing as helpful guides or friendly acquaintances, and even resorting to threats! But your security is in your own hands. If you do not want to be tricked into losing your hard-earned money to these fraudsters, it’s time you understand how these call scams work and what you can do to protect yourself from being victimized.
HOW A FRAUDSTER CAN APPROACH YOU?
To get an insight into the same, it becomes crucial to first detect the modes by which a fraudster could approach you. One of the most common phone frauds is the ‘banking scam’. This would mean that a fraudster would pose as a bank executive and convince you to share your confidential bank details. Although most people would like to think they wouldn’t fall for such a scheme, it’s essential to understand that these con artists can be extremely convincing in their approach. Furthermore, they are skilled at manipulating their victims into sharing sensitive details such as one-time passwords (OTPs), which are the final piece of the puzzle required to execute an unauthorized transaction. Yes, it is almost like being hypnotized and realizing only later what you’ve ended up doing!
HOW TO DETECT A CALL SCAM?
Before anything else, you should know how you can recognize a phone scam. While a scam could come your way in any form, these usually tend to make similar promises and threats. Being aware of these is the first step. So, here are some of the ways you can detect a call fraud:
- The caller might lure by telling you that you’ve won a prize, but you should know, there is no prize! It’s a bait and you must not fall for it!
- Someone might even threaten you with deportation unless you pay up. However, you should be aware that authentic law enforcement agencies don’t operate that way. Do not fear.
- You might get bombarded with robocalls or sales pitches from companies you’ve never heard of. Steer clear of them!
- While these fraudsters would try to use different ways to convince you, the tactic most of them would often try to employ would be – to create urgency. Yes, they would somehow make you believe that you’ve got significantly less time to take your next step and the situation demands quick action. That is what one needs to be aware of. Don’t let anyone pressure you into making a hasty decision, take your time to think things over.
HOW TO HANDLE IF YOU’VE BEEN TRICKED BY A CALL SCAM?
Finally, now that you know how to detect a phone call and remain vigilant all the time, you should know what steps you must take if such a situation arises –
- HANG UP! – Yes, there’s no better option than hanging up when you feel suspicious. And even if it is an automated call, do not press any numbers.
- Your best defense against unwanted calls would be to block when you think it could be a possible fraudster or from an institution or company you don’t want to do business with.
- Never provide personal information to any callers. Even Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued guidelines ordering that no bank can ever demand delicate info like OTPs from its customers. So, beware! If the caller ever asks you for your bank details or any such information, you should know it must necessarily be a fraud.
- The Government of India (GOI) has initiated a special online portal that addresses reports related to cybercrime – the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal – this is the right place to report any call fraud (Helpline Number – 1930, works 24X7). You can also contact your nearest police station to file your complaint. Further, you can also file your complaint online through cybercrime.gov.in.
Even though now you know how to tackle these fraudsters, never turn a blind eye to the continuously surging numbers of cybercrime. According to the information collected by AAG – a prominent global IT Service Provider, cyber crime in India jumped drastically from 394,499 cases in 2019 to 1,158,208 in 2020 and 1,402,809 in 2021. These figures aren’t meant to sound terrifying but to let you realize the criticality of the situation. Yes, the problem of cybercrime has been on a steep surge lately. And phone frauds are just one of the tactics used by these fraudsters.
While digitization has caused a deteriorating cyber situation, our security stays in our own hands. Do not let these fraudsters ever sway you. As an informed citizen, you make a conscious attempt to be aware of your responsibilities. You should know how to detect these call frauds and what you must do to stop them from tricking you into a scam. And most of all, always be attentive to the possibility that you could be their next target. But you must also know how to smoothly tackle these scammers. Never fear. Stay alert, stay informed, and stay safe!