We all have made mistakes in the past which we regret. We always imagine if we were informed about the situation beforehand and we could have stayed away from that very situation and protected ourselves.
So, here is a list of a few scams and frauds taking place in the current scenario. If you understand them well and take the required precautions you can be safeguard yourself. No bank account will ever ask for your bank details. So, even if a person pretends to be a banker don’t provide him with any information.
• Corona vaccine scam–
The scamster knocks your door when you are home alone and pretends to be a government official who has been appointed to give vaccine against covid-19. If you deny he/ she will tell you that your turn will go and you will not be immune against the virus. Henceforth, people easily agree and bait yourself in the hands of the scamster. As soon as the vaccine enters your system you feel lethargic, you start getting hallucinations and suddenly you faint. This is the moment for which the scamster was waiting for. Immediately he/ she will look for all the valuables and vanish with them.
Solutions – The government has not passed any provision for door to door vaccination of covid-19. It is only provided at public and private hospitals after proper registration. So, don’t be fooled by any person pretending to be a government official offering vaccination. If possible take a picture of that person and report to the police.
• Banking fraud–
If you ever receive a call claiming that you won any sort of lucky draw or in order to increase your credit limit or waive your EMI for a certain period of time . Never get fooled by such calls, they will ask for your pin or OTP and your account balance will be washed away.
Solutions – Right away cut the call and report the number.
The OTP scam-
Your mobile phone will get flooded with OTPs from several websites. This is called OTP bombing. These OTPs are genuine and if you share them there is high risk of loss.
Solution- The only solution iistoh keep these oTPs to yourself. Unless and until you share them with anyone one there will be no harm caused.
• OLX scam–
OLX is a app for selling second hand items. What happens in this scam is this scam is that a person pretending to be an army officer will show keen interest in buying the product you listed without even properly examining it. He will even offer you to pay in advance and he will send you a link. As soon as you click the link your money will be washed away.
Solution– If you suspect that the person is fraud immediately report his ID on the app. Don’t agree for online payment ask him to come in person collect the goods and pay in cash.
• NGO scams–
A bunch of people displaying that the belong to a NGO will try to extract money from you in the name of charity. But in reality no NGO exists.
Solution– Making donations is a godly work but always ensure that your donations are going to the right source.
• PTM fraud–
PTM is an online money transition app. A person pretending to be the customer care executive will call you in order to update your KYC. Then he will your devices access and wash off your hard earned money.
Solution– Remember PTM or any bank never calls for KYC update. Deny mobile access to that person and report his number.
• Camera scam–
Even if you delete stuff from your mobile it is still easily accessible by hackers. They can extract your videos, images and mobile number and they may land on adult websites.
Solution – Never store your private information on your mobile phone. Use VPN to feel your data encrypted. If a particular application asks for permission about accessing your camera or contacts, grant permission only in extremely necessary conditions.
• MLM scam–
Let us first understand what MLM is. MLM stands for Multi Level Marketing. These companies ask their employees to connect more and more people and take a entre fee from their employees. Their main concern is to form a chain of people and nobody is aware of the actual work the enterprise is performing.
Solution– Money making is a not at all easy. It is a matter of dedication and hard work. Don’t let yourself in this elusion. There is nothing called easy money. Keep yourself and your family members away from any such stuff.
• Fake Customer care–
You always rely on Google for information and because it is Google you have immense trust and never doubt on the authenticity of the information displayed. The information provided on Google is not always genuine. Frauds use a very strong search engine optimization mechanism which displays their website on the top. We generally tend to click at the topmost website from where we take the customer care numbers. Once, you talk to the person on the other side he will try to ask for a nominal amount of fee. The amount is so small that you don’t hesitate to pay. He sends you a link and the moment you click on the link your account gets empty.
Solution- Visit the official website only.
Mobile tower instillation scams–
A mobile tower instillation company will offer you a huge amount of money for getting mobile tower instilled on your terrace. People tend to agree easily as it provides a lot of money without any effort. Then the company will charge you a amount for constructing the tower and assure you that it is refundable. Once, you transfer the money there is no trace of that company.
Solution– If someone demands a amount of payment for such services immediately deny.
• Courier delivery service scam/fake ATM swipe machine –
A guy will knock you door with a package from an unknown source. He will ask you to only pay the delivery charges through a swipe machine. It may seem a small deal so you would readily pay him that amount. The swipe machine is actually a cloning machine. It will produce a duplicate of your card and the person will get access to you card.
The second fraud which is common with delivery services is that the delivery guy tried to enter your house requesting to use the washroom. He will then make you unconscious with some sort of chemical and wipe out your belongings.
Solutions– Do not receive a parcel from an unknown source. Never welcome any stranger into your house, especially when you are home alone.
• Facebook scam-
Facebook accounts can be easily hacked. The scammer may hack your friends account and message you to transfer some money. Believing that your friends is in need you will transfer the amount and later find that it wasn’t your friend, it was the hacker.
Solution– Helping friends in time of need is imperative but you need to be extremely careful. Firstly call your friend or talk to him in person and then only provide any sort of help.
• Online martial scams–
A person can easily forge his or her original identity online. One can pretend to be someone else and gain your confidence. You may agree to spend your entire life with that person but afterwards realize that the person is completely opposite.
Solution– Marriage is a holy bond between two souls. Before taking such a crucial step ensure that everything is transparent. Avoid taking any step out of desperation. Always do a background check.
• Religious scams-
Some frauds don’t even hesitate to drag the name of God in scams. Performing any sort of rituals for your betterment and any other superficial stuff is all non sense.
Solution– Never fall in the name of religion. No miracle is going to happen. This is just a money fetching method.
Tourist traps-
Being in an alien land already makes you nervous and to top it off we have a hell lot of traps which only focuses on tourists. From tour guides to hotel and taxis all of it is involved.
Solution– Every country has certain guidelines and official only for the help of tourists. Whenever in trouble just seek for their supervision.
• Skimming–
In the world of online banking frauds, many of us through ATM’s were the safest option out there. But did you know even they are not safe. A person can very carefully without being captured in the CCTV install a machine in the ATM and produce a duplicate of your ATM debit or credit card. He can even install a miniature camera to capture your pin. This is called skimming.
Solution– Whenever you withdraw money using an ATM always pull the card inserting machine and check whether it is overlapped with a cloning device. Always put your hand above the keyboard while typing your pin.
Two way mirror –
Recently there have been many cases of private moments of girls changing their outfits or using the washroom or shower being leaked. This happens through two way mirrors installed in hotel rooms or changing rooms in shopping malls or shops.
Solution- Whenever you enter any changing room or hotel room always check the mirror. Touch the mirror with your finger, if you find out that there is no gap between your finger and the reflection it is probably a two way mirror. Inform the police and leave the room or shopping complex.
Website frauds –
You may receive a random link from an anonymous source. You are curious to find out what’s in the link and you click open it. The anonymous source gets access to all your data and extracts your information.
Solution – Never open any link from and unknown source. Ensure the authenticity of the source before opening any link.
Sim card fraud
There are a series of scams associated with sim cards.
- When you go to a shop to get a new sim card you are asked to scan your fingerprint. But many shopkeepers scan your print twice in order to create another sim card. This sim card is then used for illegal activities like kidnapping, blackmailing, identity theft and even terrorism.
Solution- Never scan your finger print twice.
2.Cloning sim card
A stranger comes to you and asks you to lend your mobile phone because he is stuck in an emergency situation. Being a good human you give him your mobile. Then his partner arrives and tries to distract you meanwhile the scammer takes out your sim or your sim number and produces a clone. This clone can be accessed to carry illegally activities or to get access to your bank account or OTP.
Solution- The only possible solution to this problem is to be very careful when giving anyone access to your mobile. Also, sim companies never ask for sim number. So, if a person pretends to be calling from a sim company deny him any information.
On cloud nine 