Victim of Scam: Victim Loses Money While Attempting to Book Clinic Appointment
The Incident
Scams or Phishing scams are a common occurrence in today’s digital age, and unfortunately, many people fall victim to them every day. One such incident recently took place, where a lady was scammed out of a significant amount of money while trying to book an appointment at a clinic.
The lady in question had searched for the clinic’s number on Google and found what she thought was the correct number. She called the number and was disconnected before speaking to anyone. A few moments later, she received a call from an unknown number. The person on the other end claimed to be a representative of the clinic and asked her to fill out a form to book the appointment.
The lady received the form via SMS and filled it out as instructed. After submitting the form, the representative asked her to pay a small amount of money to confirm the appointment. He asked her to make a payment of 5 rupees through a UPI payment app. The lady followed his instructions and made the payment, but the payment failed.
The representative then called her again and asked her to share an activation code that he had sent via SMS. The lady had no idea what the code was for, but the representative convinced her that it was necessary to confirm her appointment. She shared the code with him, not realizing that it was actually a UPI activation code.
The scammer used the activation code to register the lady’s account on his phone. He knew that he could only transfer a limited amount of money within the first 24 hours of activating the account, so he waited patiently. As soon as the 24-hour period was over, the scammer transferred 1 lac INR to his own account.
The lady had no idea what had happened until she received a notification from her bank about the large transaction. She had fallen victim to a scam and had lost a significant amount of money.
Lesson
This incident highlights the importance of being cautious when sharing personal and financial information over the phone or internet. Scammers often use tactics such as posing as representatives of legitimate organizations, creating fake websites and phone numbers, and using social engineering to gain access to personal and financial information.
It’s important to remember that legitimate organizations will never ask for sensitive information over the phone or via email. If in doubt, always double-check the legitimacy of the organization and the information being requested. Be wary of unsolicited calls and messages, and never share personal or financial information with anyone you don’t know or trust.
In conclusion,
while the internet and digital technology have brought many conveniences to our lives, they have also brought new risks and threats. To stay safe, it’s important to be aware of these risks and take steps to protect yourself. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and stay safe.
Here are some additional points to stay alert and some dos and don’ts:
- Stay alert for unsolicited calls, emails, and messages. Be wary of anyone who asks for personal or financial information.
- Always verify the legitimacy of the organization and the information being requested before sharing any sensitive information.
- Never share your passwords, PINs, or other sensitive information with anyone, even if they claim to be from a legitimate organization.
- Keep your computer and mobile devices updated with the latest security software and patches to prevent unauthorized access.
- Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication for all your accounts to make it harder for scammers to access them.
Dos:
- Always verify the identity and legitimacy of the organization before sharing personal or financial information.
- Use secure and trusted payment methods when making online transactions.
- Keep a close eye on your bank and credit card statements to monitor for any unauthorized transactions.
- Report any suspicious activity to the relevant authorities or organizations.
Don’ts:
- Don’t share your personal or financial information with anyone you don’t know or trust.
- Don’t download or install software or apps from untrusted sources.
- Don’t click on suspicious links or download attachments from unknown senders.
- Don’t respond to unsolicited emails or messages asking for personal or financial information.
By staying vigilant and following these tips, you can help protect yourself from falling victim to scams and frauds.