Online frauds have been on the rise in India for the last 5-6 years as UPI and online transactions have increased over time.
Recently a person accidentally lost Rs 56,000 in an online fraud and he wanted to go on a tour, when he searched online, he came across a website with a tour operator number, where he called and inquired. Everything looked genuine and after some basic checks, the entire amount of Rs 56,000 was transferred by UPI.
As soon as he received the money, he realised that he had been cheated. In general, this person is very attentive and is not a person who trusts these types of online contacts, but in this case, there was a rush and overconfidence, because he had made some online bookings in a similar way in the recent past.
While we are all aware of these scams and try to be cautious, we may all fall for it as the other side will come up with new tricks to trick us.
10 things to keep in mind before sending money online
Let's take a look at some of the basic checks and precautions we should take to prevent online fraud when transferring money online to someone else for any tours, trips, hotels, or shopping purposes. Let's look at them one by one.
- Search for the name of the company on Google
A little search on the person's phone number or email may reveal a lot of details at times. If the same person has cheated on others, there's a good chance you've got some clues to that. For example, if you search for the number 9339258256 online, you will see that the same number is listed for different businesses, which clearly shows that it is a scam.
- Use NEFT / IMPS transfers instead of UPI
UPI is fast and secure, but only if you are transferring money to the right and genuine person.The problem with UPI is that it hides the details of the person and gives a scan code or simple details that don't say much about the person.If you are in doubt, always ask for bank details to transfer money via NEFT or IMPS.
This will give you at least one bank account, the name of the account holder, branch, etc. You can use it to check or complain to the bank easily. Also, the name of the bank account will be that of an individual.
- Don't rush
Don't make hasty decisions when sending large amounts of money. Sometimes, when you're doing things in a last-minute rush, you often don't notice the little anomalies. Also, your mind may not go into the details that might prevent a fraud. Always start a conversation with the person, talk to them once, wait for hours / days, and then make exchanges only after proper research.
- Always transfer only advance money first
Most of the time, things seem genuine and people will pay the full amount to avoid the headache of paying the remaining amount later. They trust others too much. As far as possible, always pay the advance first and pay the remaining amount later. This gives you plenty of time, and even if you get scammed, you won't lose all the money in the scam.
- Continuous callbacks are a danger signal
Most fraudsters / scammers have a tendency to spam you with repeated calls and messages. This is what happened in the "NGO scam."
This is a big danger. Sometimes the feet may come saying that he is a senior and a high official. If this happens to you, be very careful.
- Verify the number or contact online groups / sites
Most businesses have a strong online presence. They may have their own website, Facebook page, Instagram page, or any other social media identity. You can read other people's reviews, publish their phone numbers there, and mention other details, such as address and business details.
Not that cheaters can't create these, but it's a pretty simple checkpoint. People who are victims of fraud can see through this test and save themselves.
- Search in Truecaller
Another great trick is to check the phone number on the Truecaller app. That imposter or the same phone number should be tagged by others as "scam," "spam" or similar words. This will give you some clues about their color.
- Ask for things like GST / cheques / references
One thing you can do is ask for a copy of the check and tell them an excuse to pay from your corporate account, which is a mandatory requirement of the company. This way you will get all the details of the account owner, branch and account number. You can cross-check whether the account belongs to the same person or not. Many people don't use their own accounts. This will be the basis for further interrogation and you can catch a cheater. If you are a business entity, ask for a GST number and so on as an additional security.
- Don't trust ads from low-key websites
Never trust people or phone numbers listed on low-key websites, after all, they'll be on dead sites that don't trust that their business is listed. A person who searches on Google can find it in the search engine.
- Trust the gut feeling
Finally, you should listen to your heart feelings, and if you feel that things are not right, it is better not to make a deal. Talk to the person to whom you are transferring the amount, pay attention to their language, their tone, and many other small things. And then trust what your mind says, don't make the deal or wait too long.
More precautions to be taken
- Do not share the OTP or PIN with anyone.
- Don't respond to calls asking for your personal information, saying it's from the RBI, IRDA, or tax department.
- You never need to enter the UPI PIN to send money on any UPI app. A lot of fraudsters say that they are sending you money, but you have been sent a "payment request."
- Don't ever give anyone access to share your screen for help purposes.Don't use any software like TeamViewer or Anydesk.
Steps to be taken if you lose money in any online fraud
- File a complaint with the cyber cell immediately.
- If the amount is large, file an FIR.
- Share about the event on Twitter and other social media channels you're a part of.
