Hey there, 👋
Did you know that scammers are using the names of well-known companies to trick us?
We all receive sales calls, or customer service calls from people working in various companies. Whether it’s to sell a product or service, provide support or offer information, these calls can be useful and sometimes frustrating. With technology advancing quickly around us, it’s no surprise that scams are becoming frequent. – even masquerading as legitimate customer support representatives in order to gain personal details. I recently experienced this first hand, when a seemingly harmless call turned out to be an attempt from a cybercriminal attempting to fleece me out of my money.
One morning I received a call from a man who said I had won 2000 rupees (£20) as cashback from PhonePe (an Indian digital payment app). I knew something was not right. So, I asked him “Can you give me your ID card number to make sure you are legit?” He remained silent, which validated my initial feelings. So I straight up asked him, “How many people do you con in a day?” And he replied with sass, “Madam, I con 20 to 25 people a day and make one or two Lacs (100000 to 200000) rupees a day.” That’s around £2000 a day!
I was shocked by his confidence.
Fortunately, I work for Siccura, a data protection company that has given me first-hand experience in understanding the importance of protecting my data, preserving my digital privacy, and staying vigilant. Thankfully my insights and my quick thinking saved me from his sinister plans. But my story could have been easily different, had I not caught it on time!
It goes without saying that the online world can be a dark and dangerous place. With malicious minds waiting to take advantage of us, it’s no wonder we all feel like online victims! But fear not, I’ve compiled my top 10 tips for avoiding scams, so you never have to worry about being tricked!
10 Tips to stay away from Phone Call Scams:
1.Be sceptical of unsolicited calls: If someone calls you unexpectedly, be wary of their intentions. Ask for their name and the company they are calling from.
2.Verify the caller: If you are unsure about the caller’s authenticity, ask for their name and identity card number or company ID.
3.Check for a website: If the caller represents a company, look up their website to verify their legitimacy.
4.Don’t share personal information: Be careful about sharing personal or financial information with callers, especially if you are not familiar with the company.
5.Beware of too-good-to-be-true offers: Scammers may offer deals that sound too good to be true. Be cautious of such offers. You can also verify the offer on the legitimate website of the company.
6.Don’t make hasty decisions: Don’t make any hasty decisions based on a single phone call. Take your time and research the company before making any payments.
7.Be cautious of unusual payment methods: Scammers may ask you to pay via unusual methods such as gift cards or ask to pay on an unknown link or wire transfer. Be cautious of such requests and avoid paying through these methods.
8.Use call-blocking apps: Install call-blocking apps such as Truecaller on your phone to filter out potential scammers.
9.Report suspicious activity: If you suspect any fraudulent activity, report it to the authorities immediately. One can reach out to the National Cyber Crime Reporting portal (Helpline Number -1930) to report the number.
10.Educate yourself: To safeguard your money and valuable data, it is important to remain up-to-date and knowledgeable about the newest tactics and strategies employed by cybercriminals. Stay informed and educated about cyber security to protect yourself effectively.
At Siccura, we’re on a mission to give people a private and secure digital life. Our suite of products is developed to ensure that everyone’s personal and business data remains private, secure and in their control. But we all know that to remain private and secure truly, people need to be educated. That’s why we offer interactive training on how to stay cyber-savvy with Siccura Cybershield. To know more, follow us on socials to keep to date with the latest tricks, and tips on how to be cyber smart.
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