DECEMBER 13, 2022
Fraudsters in Jamtara, India are using advanced tactics to scam victims out of their money without even asking for their OTP codes. In one case, a man from Delhi had 50 lakh rupees ($68,000) stolen from his account after receiving several missed calls on his phone. The fraudsters were able to complete transactions without ever needing the OTP code, which is typically used as a security measure to verify the identity of the account holder.
The incident happened with a Director in the Security Service, as per media reports. The victim between 7 and 8:45 pm received some missed and blank calls. He didn’t answr ven after picking up the call, there was no response from the other end.
He checked his phone for a message after a while and was surprised to learn that 50 lakh money had been transferred from real-time gross settlement (RTGS). The case has been registered. According to the preliminary investigation, Jamtara is where this fraud is thought to have been carried out.
It is believed that the scam was carried out through SIM swapping, a tactic where fraudsters impersonate the victim and request a new SIM card from their mobile provider, allowing them to gain access to the victim’s phone number and intercept any calls or messages.
What’s SIM swapping and how to protect yourself:
Sim swapping is a type of cyber fraud where criminals gain access to a victim’s mobile number by bypassing two-factor authentication. This is done by contacting the SIM provider and pretending to be the original owner. Once the fraud SIM is activated, the criminals have control of the victim’s mobile number and can use it to receive and send calls and messages.
To protect yourself from sim swapping, it is important to never share your personal information, including your OTP, with anyone. It is also a good idea to enable two-factor authentication on your accounts and to regularly check your bank statements for any suspicious activity. If you suspect that your SIM has been swapped, contact your service provider immediately to report the fraud and request a new SIM.
Courtesy/Source: DNA / PTI
