Share your online fraud experience

Renegade

Renegade

Staff member
Luminary
I searched for the keyword digital arrest and am surprised this has not been discussed here before.

Its bewildering that educated people are falling for this time and again despite it being in the news so frequently. Latest being a 59 year old senior IT executive losing over 6 crores over a period of several days.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Mumbai IT Executive Loses Rs 6.3 Crore in Shocking Online Fraud by Cybercriminals | Pune News - Times of India

A Mumbai IT executive was duped of Rs 6.3 crore in a major online fraud by cybercriminals impersonating CBI officials, highlighting the increasing risks of digital scams.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com timesofindia.indiatimes.com

My experience:
Got a SMS from "DHL" informing that there is some update on my courier. I opened the link as I was expecting something.
Then I got the call from DHL call center informing that my parcel to Oman has been seized by customs. I said OK while laughing and that probably flustered the caller as there was an awkward pause and then call got disconnected.

Have you or someone you know been conned online? What was the modus operandi?
 
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Some months ago I also received a call from an IVRS.

It informed me that a package sent via FedEx was on hold and I need to press 1 to talk with an agent. I wasn’t expecting anything from FedEx but sometimes my I have received surprises from friends so I pressed 1.

The guy on the other side said a parcel I sent from Mumbai to China (no mention of the destination city) is being held by customs. I told that I haven’t been to Mumbai in years, I am confused how is that possible. The guy said my Aadhaar is attached with the parcel.

At that moment I thought, either my Aadhaar has leaked and is being misused or it is a cheap scam. I said my Aadhaar has been used I am filing an FIR. He got desperate and said I have sent it and the police is on the other line.

I said I don’t care about the police on your line, I will file an FIR at my police station and I think I will file it against you too. He hung up immediately.

One crucial thing: he said that my package was on hold because it had some illegal drugs in them.:rolleyes:

Renegade said:
Have you or someone you know been conned online? What was the modus operandi?
Click to expand...
1 trend: scammers say either on call with IVRS or SMS that your phone is blacklisted and will be shut down within 30 minutes (which is a ridiculously small time for compliance which no company tends to give). You are asked to talk with a human on another call then make fake allegations.
 
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I keep getting IVRS calls for my FeDex package which ofcourse I am not expecting. I usually disconnect as soon as I hear the robotic voice and block the number.


But my wife's friend (in same building) fell for the classic Google pay scam when they were selling sofa on OLX. They did ask my help (as they know I keep selling stuff on olx and facebook marketplace) and I had offered help but they didn't come back. They listed the sofa and someone told them they will transfer some money and then pickup sofa. The scammer sent the "request for money" and the women ofcourse not having experience accepted it and transferred money to the scammer's account and lost money.
 
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Thankfully my apathy allows me to not receive calls from numbers which are not saved on my phone. Not everyone can afford to do that but it filters out the scam calls. If it rings, its spam. People who want to contact me, do so on Whatsapp. Even when I pick up calls and they are trying to sell me something, I ask them to send the details on whatsapp or email.

Few weeks back someone was trying to guilt trip me into donating for children (suffering from AIDS) of sex workers. There was no way I would donate just coz I got a call from an unknown number with no context.
 
I just received a call from this number
87559489566 (yes it's 11 digits)
With an automated voice telling me that it's a call from TRAI and DUE TO INAPPROPRIATE usage your mobile number will be disconnected within 2 hrs, press 1 to continue and 9 to talk to a representative...

Obviously I disconnected straight away..
Please be aware...

Also automated calls regarding packages at airport and stuff are also prevalent..
 
Within our circle, fraud calls have come from persons claiming to be from DHL, FedEx, Customs, Electricity department, Telecom department and not to mention the innumerable banks. Some of them were automated callers / IVRS. All of them were threatening an action - disconnect phone line, disconnect electricity, close account, etc. etc.
 
I got one of those fake police superintendent calls on Whatsapp. I didn't pickup because WA shows the number prominently and it was showing a pakistani number. +92 something. It was ringing for a minute and the scammer gave up. Heard they do the same dialog. your son is prison etc etc send money.
 
Few years back my uncle came to my house and asked to close the doors so we did and then he told that a call came to his number saying he won 25L lottery and to claim the reward he just needs to give two 500rs coupons of amazon. My first question was did you already purchased those coupons? Thankfully he didn't so I told its a fraud, He wouldn't listen so I showed the number which was from Pakistan.
 
I got IVRS call from TRI for Sim block for illegal use.
Due to other ongoing stuff at that time I didn't use my senses and I fell for it.

Scariest half an hour of my life, disconnected the call when my spouse gave me a hint about it being a fraud call.
 
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I have been targeted with the following ones:
1. Electricity cut off by 9:30 PM tonight (Call - apk install request was the red flag)
2. Fedex Parcel in Mumbai Customs (IVRS spoof call - a quick web search confirmed my suspicions)
3. Piped Gas cut by 8:20 PM tonight (SMS - the dumb-ass scammers can't even spell "disconnected" correctly)

The first time was pretty convincing call, but the alarm bells rang as soon as unsigned apk install was requested.
Since then, have been more and more alert.
 
Received around 3 scam calls this past week after enquiring about airtel postpaid. It was an IVRS system with the message saying due to illegal use of my phone number TRAI will block my sim in 30 mins one time and the other time it was 2 hours and to stop them from blocking it I should press 1. I just hung up and blocked the number.
 
Blocking number doesnt do a thing these days. TRAI doesnt seem to care.
We had elections recently and for the first time, politicians became spammers with 5-10 automated calls every day for a week. Seems like they paid the spammers to call us.
Now i don't answer any unknown number.
 
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Psycho_McCrazy said:
2. Fedex Parcel in Mumbai Customs (IVRS spoof call - a quick web search confirmed my suspicions)
Click to expand...
So, just two days ago, I received a call from this number: 96990448958. IVR informed me that my FedEx package had been lost in transit. To obtain more information, I was instructed to press 1 or 9 to connect with a customer care representative. I chose 1 and was promptly connected to a representative. When asked about the person I was speaking to, he mentioned that he was in Mumbai, speaking from FedEx head office and only spoke English. I politely informed him that none of my parcels were being delivered through FedEx and then hung up. I searched this number on truecaller bot and it didn’t provide any information.
 
I got an sms purporting to be from my bank saying KYC has to be updated or else my account will be locked.

I did not not have to go to the bank. I could just use the attached apk to update the details.

Lol. One month later bank account still works fine
 
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