A Paytm transaction link fraud.

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Technology made frauds common

Banking and mobile payments have simplified the process of paying, shopping, and saving money. All of these things can be done now from anywhere in the country, so our lives have become much much easier.

Cyber-attacks have also evolved from traditionally used vectors like malicious software and vulnerabilities to more innovative schemes being launched from locations all around the world thanks to advances in technology.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, individuals avoided physical contact, increasing the use of digital payments. People have been forced to learn online banking and go cashless as a result. Paying bills online has made it easier for one to do so from home, but online fraud has increased as well, especially to target those who are totally new to these technologies. That's why there has been an increase in PayTM scams in recent weeks.

The Paytm fraud

An imposter posing as a PayTM superintendent duped a mobile shop owner out of Rs 46,219. The unidentified suspect used an online link to defraud the shopkeeper. An Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act case has been registered for cheating and the accused has been booked in accordance with those sections. A probe is being conducted despite no arrests having yet been made.

The 38-year-old proprietor of a mobile shop in south Mumbai, typically accepted payments through online payment services. The complainant was not able to receive the funds after a few customers wired them on PayTM. The shopkeeper updated his mobile application to see if it was causing a problem, but it didn't work.

The complainant was prompted to dial a helpline number found on an internet search engine as a last resort. After receiving a message with a link from PayTm, he received a call from the man telling him to click on the link and confirm all five digits in his mobile number, which was 27679, then he received a message from Paytm. In the next 10 minutes, two transactions of Rs 26,767 and Rs 19,452 were made, totaling Rs 46,219.

When the caller called the complainant again, he found himself being cheated, and he refused to listen to the call. VP Road Police, however, took the complainant's complaint and later registered a case. There has been an alert sent to the bank by the police, who are conducting an investigation. Investigations are ongoing to determine who the accused is.

Point to keep in mind

  1. Social networking sites should never be used to share sensitive information. Do not send money to anyone without confirming their identity.
  2. The Paytm website is Paytm.com and it's an HTTPS website. Do not log in to Paytm unless you see the green padlock.
  3. SMS, phone calls, and emails should never contain personal or financial information. Never ever will Paytm contact you with such sensitive information.
  4. Never give your personal information to strangers or third parties posing as Paytm representatives. Whenever your contact information such as phone number, address, or email address changes, make sure to update your bank records.
  5. In exchange for attractive commissions, fraudsters will contact you via email, SMS, or job websites and convince you to deposit money into your bank account. The illegal money will be transferred into your account.
  6. Once the money is transferred to another account, you can expect the money to ultimately be transferred to the scammer's account. If you do this, all police investigations will be directed towards you.

You can protect yourself by:

If you receive an email asking for your bank details, do not reply. Verify the company's identity and contact details before accepting any overseas job offer. You cannot expect anything for free – so beware of attractive offers/commissions!

For Safe Transactions Use Vouch

Vouch is the safest payment method for online transactions. There's no chance of fraud and scams. whenever you're buying or selling something over the internet or paying any fee, do it through Vouch – the safest digital escrow platform

Escrow refers to the act of a third party holding money or documents on behalf of the parties engaged in a transaction. Transactions involving the purchase and sale of goods often require this type of mechanism. Third parties hold agreements up to their terms and the escrow agent fulfills that role. He is dispassionate and impartial in the process. Having some form of financial security while doing business is what makes people feel comfortable. As with everything else, escrow has gone digital – through digital escrow.

Check back here for more fraud stories and scams that you can protect yourself from.

Safety is not just about protecting your credit or debit card number. It's about having control of your money till you've received the product or service you bought online!

Note: This is a good-faith initiative to educate the world about avoiding frauds like these. Do you have a fraud you would like to report? Please write to us at letstalk@iamvouched.com

https://www.iamvouched.com

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