Mobile & Online Scams Are More Rampant Than Ever
There has been a worrying increase in phone-related scams lately, where even perfectly knowledgeable and tech-savvy folks have lost considerable amounts of money to scammers. These scams will increase as our dependence and comfort with online and mobile payments increase.
Several tech giants have been raising awareness around these scams, but ultimately, it comes down to us, the users, to be aware and generally suspicious of everything. Although the prevailing scams focus on creating panic by threatening to cut down essential services, there have also been cases where people have fallen prey to messages around deals that were too good to be true.
The Scammer’s Modus Operandi
The scammers send text messages or call from unknown numbers, claiming to be from some essential service. Sometimes it’s the bank, some other times it’s a credit card company, but some of the more popular guises have been the electricity board or the telephone network. They then con you into paying them money through cleverly designed landing pages eerily similar to government websites or stealing your credit card/bank account details. And before you know it – the money’s gone.
An Unknown Number Telling You To Pay? It’s A Scam
When you get a call or message asking you to pay a certain sum, please assume that it’s a scam. Could there be a chance that it’s genuine? Of course, and you can always find ways to verify. But for you to ask the right questions, you’ve got to be suspicious from the get-go. And the only way to do that is to assume all unknown number calls to be scam calls. And you’d much rather be proven wrong than right.
No Specific Details? It’s A Scam
Scam messages and calls are usually extraordinarily vague. For example, you might receive a text that says your “electricity bill for the past month is due” or “phone bill not paid this month”. A closer look will reveal that there’s zero detail in the message. The amount would be missing, there won’t be any detail about which month the bill is due for. Could this text be sent to someone else? And if yes, would they believe it? If the message feels like it could have been sent to anyone, then you know it’s a scam.
Almost every service today has a website where you can check the status of your account and track bills paid. So make sure you do that before you respond to any message.
If you get a call saying the same thing, ask them as many questions as possible! Ask them what the amount is, where the address is, and what your name is and then tell them that you’ll take care of the bill in person at the electricity/telephone/water office. If the person on the other end tries to tell you that the only way is through the call, you know it’s a scam.
Aggressive Tone? It’s A Scam
If the person you end up calling/contacting from the text is very pushy and insists that you do what they tell you to, it’s a scam. Don’t even think twice. If there is talk of extreme consequences in a few hours or if there are threats of connections getting disconnected, tell them you’ll come to the office and handle it in person. If they become even more aggressive/pleading, then you know it’s a scam. Cut the call!
Download required? It’s A Scam
If the person on the call requires you to download any app, say no. Scammers end up asking users to download the equivalent of remote desktop access apps (like TeamViewer) to gain access to bank passwords and credit card details. You don’t need an app to pay anything. Additionally, if you’re given a link, ensure it’s from the original website and not a random subdomain (like xyz.bank.com or abc.bank.pay).
For example, you should pay your electricity bill through a .org or .gov website. While the page might look all right, the link could be sketchy. So ensure you check it before you pay anything on the site. Again, it’s best to ignore messages with links. Instead, check your balance independently before you click on the link.
Don’t Fall For It – And Tell Everyone You Know
You’d be surprised at the number of people who fall for these messages and calls. Older folks (particularly in the 50+ category) are especially vulnerable. It’s also very, very hard to get your money back, even if you lodge police complaints etc. The numbers are usually untraceable and the SMS-es are sent through bulk SMS providers, making the scammer nearly impossible to trace. So be on alert and be suspicious of everything.
Have you ever had to deal with a scammer? Do you know someone who has? Let me know in the comments.
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