A family guide
Technology Trends
Scammers rely on speed and fear. They want you to act before you think. Here are seven scams to talk about at home, with the one habit that beats each.
Set it up in ten steps
- “Pay to receive money” requests. A stranger asks you to approve a UPI collect request or scan a QR code to “receive” a payment. Remember: you enter your UPI PIN only to send money, never to receive it.
- Fake bank or KYC messages. A call or link says your account will be blocked unless you update your KYC. Banks never ask for your OTP, PIN or CVV. Hang up and call the number printed on your card or on the bank’s official website.
- Fake job and “part-time task” offers. Messages promise easy money for liking videos or finishing online tasks, then ask for a deposit or fee. A genuine employer does not charge you to start work.
- Prize, lottery and gift scams. You have “won” something you never entered, but must first pay a processing fee. If you did not enter, you did not win.
- Fake customer-care numbers. A number that appears in a search result or a social media post is not always the company’s own. Take the number from the official website or app.
- Fake officials and “digital arrest” calls. A caller claims to be from the police, a courier company or a government agency and tells you to stay on a video call and transfer money. Authorities have repeatedly warned that there is no such thing as a “digital arrest”. Put the phone down and speak to someone you trust.
- Instant loan apps and fake investment schemes. Some loan apps ask for access to your contacts and photos and then harass you; some schemes promise guaranteed high returns. Use regulated lenders, and treat “guaranteed returns” as a warning sign.
If it happens to you. Call the National Cyber Crime Helpline on 1930 straight away, report on cybercrime.gov.in, and tell your bank. The faster you report, the better the chance of stopping the money.
Share this with parents and grandparents. They are targeted most often. Our free Family Cyber Safety Guide in Easy Downloads is made for this.
References: National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in), Government of India; CERT-In (cert-in.org.in).