Call Forwarding, OTP and Parcel Scams: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe

Call Forwarding Scams

Call forwarding scams work by tricking victims into enabling call forwarding on their phones. This allows scammers to intercept and listen to the victim's incoming calls, including any one-time passwords (OTPs) that are sent to the victim's phone. Scammers can then use these OTPs to access the victim's bank accounts, other financial accounts, and personal information.

Scammers often contact victims by phone, posing as a representative from a legitimate company, such as the victim's mobile network operator, internet service provider (ISP), or bank. The scammer may claim that there is a problem with the victim's account, such as a security breach, technical issue, or fraudulent activity. The scammer may then ask the victim to dial a specific number to resolve the issue. This number is actually a call forwarding code.

Also scammers may approach you claiming to have lost their phone and need to make an urgent call. While this may be true, it is important to stay alert. Scammers may try to trick you into enabling call forwarding on your phone, which would allow them to intercept your incoming calls, including OTPs. If you are unsure whether the person is legitimate, decline their request. You can offer to help them find a phone or call the number for them yourself, but do not hand over your phone or dial the number for them.

OTP Scams

OTP scams work by tricking victims into revealing their OTPs. OTPs are short, numeric codes that are sent to users' mobile phones or email addresses as a security measure for logging in to online accounts or authorizing transactions.

Scammers use a variety of methods to trick victims into revealing their OTPs, including:

• Posing as a legitimate company. Scammers may call, text, or email victims pretending to be from a well-known company, such as a bank, credit card company, or government agency. They may claim that there is a problem with the victim's account or that the victim needs to update their account information. The scammer may then ask the victim to provide their OTP in order to "verify" their identity or resolve the issue.
• Sending phishing links. Phishing links are malicious links that are disguised as legitimate links. When a victim clicks on a phishing link, they are taken to a fake website that looks like the real website of a legitimate company. The victim may then be prompted to enter their login credentials and OTP.
• Using social engineering techniques. Social engineering is a type of manipulation that scammers use to trick victims into revealing their personal information. For example, a scammer may call a victim and claim to be from their bank. The scammer may then tell the victim that there has been fraudulent activity on their account and that they need to verify their identity by providing their OTP.

Parcel Scams

Parcel scams work by tricking victims into believing that they are expecting a parcel delivery. Scammers may use a variety of methods to contact victims, such as sending text messages, emails, or even making phone calls.

Once the victim has been contacted, the scammer may claim that there is a problem with the parcel delivery, such as a delay or a customs issue. The scammer may then ask the victim to provide personal information, such as their name, address, phone number, or credit card information, in order to resolve the issue.

In some cases, scammers may even send fake delivery notifications to victims. These notifications may contain links to malicious websites or phone numbers. When the victim clicks on a link or calls a phone number, they may be infected with malware or tricked into revealing their personal information.

Also beware of scammers who claim to be delivery companies and ask you to send an OTP before delivering a parcel. This is a common scam tactic that exploits people who are expecting parcels. Legitimate delivery companies will never ask you to send an OTP.

Furthermore, scammers may bring fake company ID cards and orders to make their scam more believable. They may claim that online payment is not working and only cash on delivery (COD) is possible, or that they will refund the online payment already made. This is an advance-fee scam, where scammers trick victims into paying for products or services they will never receive. If the victim pays the COD fee, the scammer will disappear. If the victim has any problems with the parcel after delivery, the courier will say to contact the company, but the company will say there is no such order in the history.

How to Protect Yourself from Call Forwarding, OTP, and Parcel Scams

There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from call forwarding, OTP, and parcel scams:

• Be wary of unsolicited calls, texts, and emails. Legitimate companies will never ask you to provide personal information or financial information over the phone, text, or email.
• Never click on links in unsolicited messages. If you receive a message from a company that you don't recognize, or if you're not sure whether the message is legitimate, don't click on any links in the message. Instead, go to the company's website directly and log in to your account.
• Be careful about what information you share online. Scammers can use the information you share online to target you with scams. Be careful about what information you share on social media and other websites.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all of your online accounts. 2FA adds an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring you to enter a code from your phone in addition to your password when you log in.
• If you are expecting a parcel delivery, be wary of any messages that you receive claiming that there is a problem with the delivery. Contact the delivery company directly to confirm the status of the delivery and to resolve any issues.

What to Do If You Think You've Been a Victim of a Call Forwarding, OTP, or Parcel Scam

If you think you may have been a victim of a call forwarding, OTP, or parcel scam, you should take the following steps:

• Contact your bank and other financial institutions immediately and change your passwords.
• Report the scam to the police.
• You can contact the National Cyber Crime Reporting portal by calling the toll-free helpline number 1930. You can also file a complaint online at cybercrime.gov.in

By following these tips, you can help to protect yourself from call forwarding, OTP, and parcel scams and keep your personal information and financial accounts safe.

Disclaimer The information contained in this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. I am not a licensed professional in any field, and my articles should not be taken as a substitute for professional advice. I do my best to research my topics and provide accurate information, but I cannot guarantee that my articles are free of errors or omissions. If you have any questions or concerns about the information in this blog post, please consult with a qualified professional. I am not responsible for any actions taken or decisions made based on the information in this blog post.

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Text: Generated with the help of Bard (https://bard.google.com/), a large language model created by Google AI.

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