From scaring parents with false information about children studying in another city to luring people with false promises of high income just by clicking on videos on social media, fraudsters are coming up with new modes of cheating people.
Based on police reports and conversations with scores of Kolkatans, here are some of the most reported tricks that people have fallen prey to in recent times.
Bluffing about kids
According to Kolkata Police officers, an often reported case of fraud in recent times
is online extortion by calling up parents and telling them that their child has
been arrested.
“The fraudsters target parents whose children are studying abroad or in another city. They call up the parents to inform them that their child has been arrested for a serious offence and the only way out is to pay money,” said an officer of the cyber cell at police headquarters Lalbazar.
What to do
- The guardians should contact their children instead of believing the caller.
- If a child (studying outside his/her hometown) is not available over the phone, guardians should not panic and try to contact one of his/her friends.
- Such calls should be reported to the police.
Courier fraud
“Your FedEx parcel has been cancelled. Press one for more details, and press nine to talk to one of our executives.”
Several Kolkatans have got such phone calls from an unknown number and heard this message, often automated and sometimes a human voice. Many fall into the trap and start a conversation that leads to extortion.
“The fraudsters make the call sound like an authentic call from the customer care centre of an international courier company. The caller says that the person’s Aadhaar card details have been used
to book a consignment containing contraband substances. And the police have caught the consignment,” said an
officer.
People receiving such calls often get scared and agree to pay to avoid getting arrested. Fraudsters also ask the victims to leave the house and stay in a hotel till the payment is made with the threat that otherwise the police could pick them up from the house.
What to do
- Even if one’s Aadhaar number matches with that mentioned by the caller saying it has been used to book a consignment, he/she should not trust a stranger over the phone.
- If someone over the phone claims there is an FIR against the victim, he/she should ask for a copy of the FIR and the charges that have been filed, saying that a lawyer needs to be consulted.
- One should never leave home after being told to do so by a stranger over the phone.
Investment fraud
Several elderly citizens who stay alone are targeted by fraudsters posing as brokerage agents who offer lucrative investment schemes, the police said.
“The fraudsters first convince the elderly to invest. Then, when the premium is to be paid, they are asked to make the payment either through the agent’s bank account or through a third party,” said an officer.
Elderly people who depend on others for making online payments or have physical handicaps often fall prey to such fraudsters and end up issuing cheques in the name
of people they do not even know.
What to do
- A cheque should be issued only in the name of the company through which one is investing.
- In case of online payment, one should check if the payment is being made to the company directly and not through any individual or brokerage firm.
Delivery workers
What to do
- If a client tries to make an online payment to the delivery person’s account, the latter should not accept it.
- One should never scan a QR code if told to do so to receive money. Scanning a QR code is always for sending money and not the other way, the police said.
Several complaints have been reported in the recent past where fraudsters pose as clients and dupe delivery workers by sharing QR codes and making them scan the codes.
“In all the cases that delivery personnel for food aggregators have reported, the fraudsters had provided a wrong address and contacted the personnel saying they would make the payment online to the delivery person’s e-wallet. On this pretext, they would send a QR code to the delivery person and ask them to insert their personal identification number. But instead of receiving the money, it would be debited from their account,” said an officer.
What to do
- If a client tries to make an online payment to the delivery person’s account, the latter should not accept it.
- One should never scan a QR code if told to do so to receive money. Scanning a QR code is always for sending money and not the other way, the police said.