India is witnessing a surge in online scams, with cybercriminals employing new tactics to cheat people. The latest scam involved a fraudster swindling an Indian teacher out of INR 80,000 from her Provident Fund (PF) account.
The victim, a 32-year-old female teacher from Navi Mumbai, was searching for the PF office's contact number online when she was targeted by the scammer. Posing as a PF office staff member, the fraudster asked the teacher to download the AirDroid app and enter her account number and MPIN. Once the scammer had access to her account, he made 16 transactions and transferred INR 80,000 to his account.
This is just one example of online fraudsters targeting unsuspecting individuals in India. Other instances include a Mumbai resident losing INR 1.99 lakh, a 53-year-old woman being cheated of INR 87,000 while ordering food, and a user losing INR 1.14 lakh while selling a juicer on the OLX app.
In light of these events, it is vital to exercise caution when using online services and be aware of the various types of scams that exist.
To prevent such scams, individuals should only obtain contact numbers from official websites when searching online. PF account holders should visit the official website or branch of EPFO for any work related to PF. Before downloading any app, it is essential to verify its authenticity.
This applies to using Aadhaar cards or any other document, as well as ordering food, jobs, buying and selling anything, and any other tempting activities.
It is crucial to stay informed about the latest scams and take necessary precautions to safeguard personal and financial information. By following these measures, people can avoid falling prey to online scams and protect themselves from financial loss.
