Mumbai, April 7: India is in the middle of a 21-days nationwide lockdown, and everything barring the essentials has been stopped. But, this hasn't deterred the cyber frauds from being active and devising new methods to dupe innocent people. From banking, automobiles to big fashion brands, customers have been getting calls from fraudsters urging them to share OTP received on their mobile.
SBI recently took to Twitter to inform its customers of a new kind of fraud that is taking place. In it, customers get calls asking them to share their OTP, in order to postpone their loan EMIs. Once, the OTP is shared, the amount is immediately siphoned away by the fraudsters. The bank, therefore, urged its customers to be alert and mentioned that EMI Deferment doesn't require OTP. Loan EMI Moratorium: List of Banks Allowing Borrowers to Delay Payment of March Installment By 3 Months Amid Coronavirus Lockdown.
Check SBI tweet:
Cyber fraudsters keep finding new ways to scam people. The only way to beat the #cybercriminals is to #BeAlert & be aware. Please note that EMI Deferment does not require OTP sharing. Do not share your OTP. For details on EMI Deferment scheme, visit: https://t.co/wP3Xux99vI#SBI pic.twitter.com/2GZSHX3ONa
— State Bank of India (@TheOfficialSBI) April 5, 2020
PIB has also shared the following information on their Twitter handle and urged people to not fall for these scams and to never share OTPs.
Check PIB Tweet here:
Beware and Be Alert of cyber frauds asking you to share OTP to defer bank EMI's.
Please note that EMI Deferment does not require OTP sharing.
Do not share your OTP! https://t.co/mOj5gqNOar
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) April 6, 2020
A similar notice has been shared by Karnataka bank to alert people of fraudsters asking for OTP for EMI postponement.
Here's what Karnataka Bank has tweeted:
Cybercriminals keep finding new ways to defraud people. The only way to beat the #cybercriminals is to #Bealert and be aware. Please note that EMI postponement does not require sharing of OTP. Do not share your OTP.#BeSafe #EMI #SafetyTips #OTP #CyberSafety #KarnatakaBank pic.twitter.com/r5acZVqgnh
— Karnataka Bank (@KarnatakaBank) April 6, 2020
Last month, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced that all banks, lending institutions will allow a three-month moratorium on all loans. RBI permitted banks to not just allow a three-month moratorium on all loans but also provide a three-month interest deferment on all loans. This was one of the biggest announcement as part of the RBI's four-point plan to fight the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 or coronavirus pandemic crisis. MakeMyTrip & Goibibo Alert Customers About Fraudsters Targeting People Seeking Refund For Booking Cancellations Amid Coronavirus Lockdown in India.
Surprisingly these fraud calls are not only limited to banks alone, and customers are also getting fake calls from people using names of big brands like Amazon and Bafna Motors. They are urging people to share the OTP received on their mobile phones in order to complete the KYC process. LatestLY advices people to stay safe and alert always as these fraudsters are always on the lookout to cheat people.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 07, 2020 03:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).