In today’s digital age, cyber fraud has become a big threat, which can be with anyone. Recently, a similar incident happened to me, in which I suffered a loss of Rs 33,000 by clicking on a wrong link. I am sharing this experience so that you can be cautious of such events and can avoid it.
How did it start?
Everything started when I received a message from an unknown number. It was written in it that if I did not update the meter of Delhi Jal Board, then my water connection will be stopped immediately. There was also a person’s number in the message. When I contacted him, he sent me a link and said that he would have to pay 10 rupees for the meter update.
The message number came from 9744625512 and the person’s number was 77510777459, which sent the suspicious link. When I tried to pay with a credit card and debit card, it did not succeed. After this, he advised that I should pay with the cards of my wife and daughter, which made me suspicious.
Meanwhile, I login to the net banking to see whether my card is for international transaction or for domestic. But by the time I realized that it was a cyber fraud, 50,000 rupees had been transferred from my current account to a savings account. I immediately blocked the debit card through the I-Mobile App and also stopped transactions from a savings account. I also blocked my credit cards from mobile. I managed to save my savings account but became a victim of cheating through credit cards as only two of the three credit cards could be blocked and one could not be blocked. A complaint in this case has been lodged in Noida Police Cyber Branch.
Thugs hacked the phone
In today’s digital world, smartphones have become part of our identity and everyday activities. But when these essential devices are hacked, then its effect can not only be uncomfortable, but can be very dangerous. The recent incident with me is a serious warning of how insecure we can be in the digital age.
This problem started when I came to know that I have been cheated by Rs 33,000. What started a minor incident before, it soon turned into a bad dream. I did not know that my smartphone has been hacked and all the SMS alert coming from my bank was being forwarded automatically on an unknown number 9744625512.
Whatever friends try to call me, they would hear that my phone is closed. And when I tried to call myself, the numbers either looked wrong or were not connected. It was all very unusual and scary experience. This incident shows how cyber criminals not only capture your money, but also your identity and ability to communicate.
How do cyber criminals work?
I contacted the country’s leading cyber expert Amit Dubey. He advised to remove the SIM card from the mobile immediately and format the phone completely. Also sent email to the bank and asked to secure their accounts. Today’s cyber criminals have a deep understanding of both technology and human psychology. They first collect information about potential hunting from the Internet, social media and dark web- such as banking details, passwords etc. Then by creating fear through fake calls and messages, people force people to give their information.
Realizing the power of psychological pressure, cyber criminals make their tricks in such a way that they can force the victims to obey them. Often these criminals resort to fishing email or fake phone calls and come out by calling themselves a reliable institute like banks or government agencies. They create a sense of fear or early decisions- such as threatening to close the account or fear of legal action- and thus receive their confidential information (eg password, OTP) from people.
Apart from this, these cyber criminals constantly update their techniques. They not only are aware of new techniques and safety measures, but also develop more reliable and sophisticated methods by adopting tricks like social engineering to dodge the security system. Their compatibility and planned functioning shows that their crime is not a coincidence but under a fully well thought out conspiracy.
What to do to avoid cyber fraud?
Cyber fraud has become a rapidly growing threat in the digital age, due to which law and order agencies around the world are constantly making efforts to deal with. The police play an important role in protecting citizens from cyber crime. According to Hemendra Kumar Ballian, in-charge of Cyber Security Cell of Noida police station Sector-20, these important precautions should be adopted to deal with cyber fraud:
1. Avoid clicking on suspicious links- Do not click on links or attachments from any unknown or unhealthy sources or do not download them.
2. Beware of digital wedding invitations- In recent cases, it has been seen that digital wedding invitations coming from unknown numbers are also becoming a source of cyber fraud, do not click on these.
3. Confirm the source- Before clicking on any link or downloading attachment, please check the authenticity of email and message.
4. Be cautious in sharing sensitive information- do not share confidential information like password and OTP with anyone, no matter how reliable the front.
5. There is no digital arrest by the police- if someone talks about digital arrest, then know that it is a fraud.
6. Do not be afraid of digital blackmail- if someone is blackmailing you, do not panic, inform the police immediately.
7. ignore unknown numbers- be careful with the message that talks about getting reward or immediate action and those who have come from unknown numbers.
8. Time is very important- late police complaint in cyber fraud incidents can eradicate evidence and increase damage.
9. Keep an eye on the activity of your account- regularly check your bank statements and online transactions so that any disturbances can be caught in time.
10. Make yourself and others aware- Keep knowledge of new cyber fraud methods and share it with your family and friends.
What do the police advise?
According to Hemendra Kumar Ballian, in-charge of the Cyber Security Cell of Noida police station Sector-20, in today’s digital age, where it has become a common practice to share photos and personal information online, there has been a huge increase in the dangers associated with it. A worrying trend has emerged, in which cyber criminals are committing crimes like blackmail and extortion by misusing digital photographs. This trend is growing rapidly, where criminals using highly clever and dangerous methods tamper with photographs and carry out cyber fraud.
Hemendra Kumar Ballian says that the most scary way among them is that criminals prepare a very real -like but fake nude (porn) photos using advanced photo editing tools. They edit them from social media or on public pictures on the Internet in such a way that they start to look objectionable. After this, these fake pictures are used to blackmail- the victims are threatened that if they do not give money, these photographs will be made public, so that their social reputation is damaged.
Apart from this, platforms like Telegram are also becoming bases of such crimes. These are implicated innocent users through pornographic chats and fraud games. They are instigated to share their personal information, which is later misused. These criminals carry out their activities by taking advantage of the anonymous identity of these platforms, which makes them very challenging to catch them for police and law and order.
Be cautious while doing transactions
In today’s digital age, along with the facilities of online transactions and communication, the risk of cyber fraud has also increased rapidly. In such a situation, vigilance and quick action is very important to protect yourself from cyber crimes. Cyber criminals have now become very clever and technically proficient, who continuously adopt new tricks to cheat innocent people. In such a situation, it has become very important to know how to protect yourself.
Be careful before sharing any information online. Avoid fishing mails or messages in which your personal details are being sought. Use strong and unique passwords and where possible, start a two-factor authentication. Always keep your mobile, apps and software updated. This can remove security flaws which cyber criminals easily target.
What to do if hunted?
If you fall prey to a cyber fraud despite all the precautions, then take action immediately without delay. First call on cybercrime helpline number 1930. This service is specially designed to help the victims, which immediately gives the right advice and support.
You can also file a complaint by going to you. The sooner you report the crime, the more likely it is to get your money back and further fraud can be stopped. Inform your bank or financial institution immediately so that they can monitor your account and stop suspicious activities. Apart from this, keep monitoring your credit report so that incidents like theft can be avoided.
Although there are many types of dangers in the digital world, if we are cautious, aware and prepared in advance, the possibility of being a victim of cyber fraud can be reduced to a great extent. By keeping online vigilance and keeping the necessary steps to be taken after any cyber attack, individuals can protect their digital identity and personal information better than cyber criminals.
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