Fraudsters now tricking people regarding payment of power, water bills  

Srinagar, Aug  3: One of the latest ways that fraudsters are tricking unsuspecting individuals is in the guise of payment of electricity and water tariff with the scammers sending links while asking for crucial information.

In this connection, Cyber Police Kashmir registered an FIR and has requested the people to remain cautious and come forward with complaints.

The scammers are sending links through SMS with a plea that electric connections would be disconnected, as the bill was pending.

They are asking to click on the link, thus duping the people, whose money gets vanished from accounts.

“We come across these things on a daily basis and yet some fall for such a trap despite regular warnings from service providers, and bans,” Superintendent of Police, Cyber Police Kashmir, Ifikhar Talib told Greater Kashmir.

The SP said that they had received such complaints and a general FIR had been registered.

“At the same time, under the directions of ADGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar we organise awareness programmes,” Talib said.

An officer of the Cyber Police Kashmir said that the pattern of links to pay electricity and water bills are almost similar to KYC scam.

In case of electricity and water bills, the fraudster pretends to be someone working for the PDD or the PHE and asks the person to click on the link for payment of tariff. “The fraudster takes the remote access of the mobile phone of the victim by urging him to accept the remote access attempt. After that, the fraudster gets access to the bank account and illegally transfers as much money as he can to his own accounts or to that of his associates,” the officer. “People should submit their bills according to protocol given by the department.”

How to make a complaint in case a person is duped

Follow these steps to make a complaint in case of unauthorised transaction.

1. A summary of the complaint’s facts, including how the alleged person contacted them.

2. Take a screenshot or a copy of the claimed SMS, profiles, or emails.

3. Gather documentation proof (screenshots, bank transaction statements).

4. File a complaint with the local police station, detailing the entire incident and including the already mentioned documentation.

5. Make a soft copy of all of these papers and give them to the Investigating Officer on a CD-R, as well as a physical copy.

Safety precautions as suggested by Cyber Cell Delhi

1. Always be suspicious of unwanted phone calls, emails, or SMS messages.

2. Never give out credit or debit card information to anyone posing as a bank official or customer service representative.

3. Never enter credit card information onto the Internet form supplied by a caller. It’s possible that your credentials have been stolen.

4. Do not download remote access apps because they will provide a fraudster access to all of your chats and emails.

5. Never click on links in phishing messages and emails purporting to be from government agencies, officials, banks, or other financial institutions. They infect your device with malware or spyware.

6. Be cautious while scanning a QR code that has been supplied to you in order to get payment. It’s possible that you’ll lose money in your account.

7. Be wary of phoney customer service numbers that pop up in web searches. For all online accounts, use two-factor authentication (password + OTP).