Track the number of SIM cards issued in your name. Lock Aadhaar biometrics. Do not blindly trust Google.

Two police officers and a cybersecurity expert shared tips to prevent online fraud on Tuesday. They were hosted by the women’s wing of Ficci (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry).

The session was informal and interactive. The speakers explained how following some basic dos and don’ts in everyday life can keep us protected against fraudsters.

By the time the session drew to a close, there were only a few hands that were not raised to ask a question or share anecdotes.

“Do not trust Google blindly. People are getting fooled in the name of search engine optimisation,” said Sandeep Sengupta, founder-director of the Indian School of Anti-Hacking.

He showed two websites of a popular hotel in Puri, both fakes. The actual website was under maintenance. Both fake websites pop up in a Google search. Many people looking for a vacation have been duped into paying for hotel bookings through such fake websites, he said.

An officer in the cyber cell of Lalbazar highlighted a common modus operandi of the fraudsters. “You will visit the fake website (in the name of a real hotel) and get a phone number. The person receiving the call will share a QR code or some other mode of payment. The moment you make the payment, the person will tell you that there is a problem in the network and request you to make the payment again from another channel. Many people have fallen for such frauds,” the officer said.

Sengupta, a certified ethical hacker and security policy and auditing expert, urged the audience to use the portal of the Telecom Analytics for Fraud Management and Consumer Protection (TAFCOP) to track the number of mobile numbers registered against an Aadhaar card. Unknown numbers can be blocked from the portal.

Cybercrimes committed with the help of SIM cards procured by leaked Aadhaar biometrics are on the rise.

An inspector with the cyber cell shared a recent incident.

“A woman in Bhowanipore received a notice from police in Ajmer, Rajasthan. A crime was committed using a SIM card registered with her Aadhaar number. Her details were procured from a telecom store in Calcutta. Two SIM cards were issued illegally, without her knowledge. One of them was used in the alleged crime in Rajasthan,” the officer told the audience present at the event organised by Ficci FLO (Ficci Ladies Organisation).

Nidhi Jhunjhunwala, chairperson of Ficci FLO Kolkata Chapter, told The Telegraph: “The session dealt with what we do almost daily. Most of us will feel at least a bit safer against cyber fraud after today, knowing at least some of the common mistakes can be easily avoided.”