New fraud in the market as the latest to be a victim of the phone hacking fraud is an advocate in North Delhi who lost money from her bank account after having three miss calls from unknown numbers.
The cyber unit of the Delhi police claims that the victim did not answer the phone or share an OTP.
But, the accuse was able to get her banking details and all of the victim’s private data and could take away her money.
Police suspect that this could have a case of SIM swapping scam.
An incident involving a trial and high court attorney was report on 18th October 2023, according report.
Advocate report to the police that she had experience a substantial loss from her bank account.
The precise amount she lost was not disclose by the police.
The 35-year-old advocate reportedly get miss three calls from a particular phone number, according to an officer.
The caller said it was a courier delivery call when she call back from a different number.
The report said that the advocate then share her house address with the caller since she assume she would receive a package from a friend.
Even though she did get a package, she also got two messages from her bank notifying her of two withdrawals that she was not aware of.
The police have not yet identified the scammers or made any arrests related to the case.
As per police, the investigation also discover an “unusual” browser history that had sites and links list that were not access by the advocate.
There were also UPI registrations and phishing-related SMS that were found, which the victim was unaware of.
After the money was deduct, she also receive a call from a man claiming to be an IFSO officer, but the advocate did not share any details with him either, the police confirm.
As IFSO is the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) Unit of the Delhi Police.
What is SIM Swapping Scam?
SIM swapping is a way scammers obtain a SIM card.
It is effectively identity theft over the internet.
When they have access, they demand money from the user’s friends and relatives.
They use social media accounts, access online banking, and many more.
Since many online services and products, including Internet banking, are adopting OTP-based two-factor authentication, criminals with access to a SIM card may do much harm.
So, it’s essential to maintain vigilance and acquire self-defence skills against this kind of cybercrime.
Steps you can take to stay safe from SIM Swapping Scam
- Notify your telecom provider immediately if your SIM stops working.
- You can also use a SIM lock to stop someone else from using your SIM on their smartphone without a password.
- As a rule of thumb, you should avoid disclosing any personal information online, especially if it could lead to an easy password hack.
- It is also advisable to monitor your bank accounts and report any transactions that are not allow.
