Techie loses ₹13 lakh in cyber scam: Know how fraudsters exploit remote access to steal money

A recent cyber scam in Pune has exposed the risks posed by fraudsters taking advantage of trust to steal money. 57-year-old technical officer working at a Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) facility is missing $13 lakhs for a remote access scam. Fraudsters use a familiar trick: impersonating bank employees to gain the victim’s trust.

The officer received a WhatsApp message from a person claiming to be from a public sector bank. The message informed him that his Know Your Customer (KYC) details were out of date and his account would be frozen unless he updated them. To make the message seem more trustworthy, the scammers included an attachment. Trusting the message, the officer downloaded the file, which turned out to be a remote access application. Soon after, he started receiving one-time passwords (OTPs), but since he wasn’t making any transactions at the time, he got rid of them.

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However, in a moment, Rs. 12.95 lakh has disappeared from his bank account. Knowing he had been deceived, he reported the incident to the police. This case serves as a warning about the growing popularity of remote access scams, in which scammers trick victims into downloading malicious apps, giving them full permissions. access their phone. From there, they can transfer money from the victim’s account.

These scammers often disguise their actions by using fake reasons, such as KYC updates or unpaid invoices, to get people to download harmful apps.

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How to protect yourself from such scams:

• Be wary of unsolicited messages: Don’t respond to unknown phone numbers or emails, especially those asking for personal information or payment.
• Avoid clicking on links or attachments: Even if the message appears legitimate, avoid downloading files or clicking on any links from unknown sources.

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• Verify the source: Always contact your bank directly using their official contact information to confirm any requests for personal or payment information.
• Act quickly: If you suspect fraud, notify your bank immediately, report the incident to the cyber crime department and file a police complaint.

Staying vigilant can help protect you from falling victim to similar scams.