Govt Warns Of Rising Online Scams: Don’t Miss Cyber Safety Tips This Diwali

The cybersecurity agency in India, CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), in its most recent advisory (CIAD-2024-0050) issued on October 24th, enclosed a detailed cautionary note for the active online shoppers regarding the ongoing online shopping scams and other similar kinds of frauds in the country this festive season. These scams and phishing activities are most common during this time of the year when a large number of people transact on various shopping portals, making it easier for people to fall into such traps and lose their hard-earned money.

Common Online Scams To Watch Out For:

Scammers use many different tactics, each one designed to exploit your trust and weaknesses. Firstly, the most common are phishing scams, which send fake emails or messages that look like trusted brands and get you to share your login credentials or personal info. These scammers announce that you've won a lottery or a prize, something you never entered to win, and get you to pay processing fees for a prize you'll never receive.

Manipulating innocent people is one of the easiest traps these scammers lay by inventing crises to get sympathy and money from people for fake charity gets to people's hearts and gets them to donate to causes that never reach those in need.

Investment scams specifically target individuals seeking quick financial gains, often with unrealistic return promises. These scams can be highly sophisticated, making it difficult to distinguish legitimate investment opportunities from fraud ones. Job scams, on the other hand, exploit the hopes and aspirations of job seekers. Fraudsters create fake job listings and demand upfront fees for applications, training, or background checks. These fees are often non-refundable, leaving victims financially drained and jobless.

In a common tech support scam, fraudsters pose as helpful tech experts, gaining remote access to your device to steal data or charge for unnecessary services. Online shopping has also become a target for scammers, with many victims falling prey to Cash-on-Delivery (CoD) scams which involve receiving duplicate or incorrect items, resulting in financial loss and frustration. Similar to this is the parcel scams, where victims are told a seized package under their name contains illegal items and they are asked to pay a fine to avoid supposed legal action.

Other scams include mistaken money transfer scams where scammers claim to have sent money by mistake and pressure you to return it with fake proof and digital arrest scams where fraudsters threaten to arrest you unless you pay a "fine." And loan or card scams get people in financial need with low-interest loans but demand upfront fees for loans that are never given.

Telecom fraud is yet another common way of scamming people impersonating service providers in phone scams and creating urgent issues to get your personal info.

How To Protect Yourself:

It's a misconception that only less intelligent people fall victim to scams. Today's scammers are highly skilled and employ sophisticated techniques that can deceive even the most cautious individuals. These scammers can go to any length to deceive and profit from unsuspecting people. So, the government has outlined several tips to help you stay safe online. By following these guidelines as mentioned in the CERT-In advisory, you can protect yourself from online scams and enjoy a worry-free Diwali.

Be cautious of the source and verify the sender's identity before responding to any unsolicited calls, emails, or messages. It's very crucial to understand the nature of the call and take a moment to think before making any decisions by responding to these calls.

Sharing your personal information online is a big no when it is asked from unauthorized sources. Most of the banks or other official agencies have time and again advertised that they do not seek any kind of personal details like OTP, PIN, password, etc. If you suspect any such activity, report it to the authorities immediately.

Refrain from transferring money online, as legitimate businesses do not ask for upfront payments for the services. Make sure to verify the receivers' banking information before transferring money to the bank account.

Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. In order to avoid malware, it is advisable that you do not download Only download apps from official app stores to ensure their safety and security.

Understanding common scams, recognizing suspicious tactics, and practicing good online security habits can significantly reduce our vulnerability.