NPCI's digital safety awareness advisory to escape scam
NATIONAL: Digital payments have become widely accessible in India significantly contributing to the emergence of a digital-first economy characterized by both security and convenience. However, this advancement has also facilitated a rise in fraud, particularly via text message scams.
These scams exploit human emotions such as urgency, fear and curiosity compelling people o make hasty decisions.
A text message scam typically involves a fraudulent SMS attempting to deceive the recipient into actions that jeopardize financial security or personal information. The messages often masquerade as communications from trusted entities, making them seem credible. Scammers predominantly aim to achieve one of five objectives:
1. **Clicking on links** that lead to counterfeit websites.
2. **Calling fake customer service** or helpline numbers.
3. **Downloading unverified apps** or files.
4. **Sharing sensitive information** like OTPs, PINs, or passwords.
5. **Transferring money** based on false claims regarding account credits.
To foster trust, scammers commonly impersonate representatives from banks, government agencies, delivery services, or telecommunication companies, using social engineering techniques that create a sense of urgency. They often induce panic with threats of account blockage or monetary issues, or entice individuals with offers of rewards and refunds, exploiting a general lack of awareness.
To protect oneself from these scams, a set of precautionary measures is advised:
- Carefully read messages before responding.
- Authenticate requests through official channels, such as verified websites, apps, or customer service.
- Download applications exclusively from reputable sources, like official app stores.
- Refrain from sharing sensitive data, including OTPs and passwords.
- Avoid following links or downloading content from unexpected communications.
- Regularly verify bank statements for unusual activity after receiving credit notifications.
- Scrutinize app permissions, ensuring they are limited to what is necessary.
In case of encountering suspicious messages, it is recommended to document these by saving, screenshotting and collecting relevant information tah can assist authorities in investigations. Reports can be made to the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or through the Department of Telecommunications' website (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/).