While the festival season in India may have ended,  globally, the holiday season will continue till the New Year. This is a time to be more careful while clicking any link from any message offering discounts and goodies and not to share your personal or financial information with strangers or even those who seem official. Scams are rampant at times when people are furiously shopping for gifts and giveaways. So much so, that the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a warning about impersonation scams in the name of Amazon. Google, the most popular search engine, has also warned about five scams taking place through Gmail. Back home, Kotak Mutual Fund has issued an alert about fraudulent Telegram and social media groups and communities that promise huge returns against their investment. ICICI Bank has been issuing repeated warnings about fake Twitter accounts impersonating its official one and responding to those who post complaints about the bank. 

 

Amazon and FBI Impersonation Scams 

 

The FTC reports that impersonation scams are the number one consumer complaint with close to 300,000 in the last year. According to ConsumerAffairs, so far this year, Amazon scam analysts found that fake order confirmations accounted for more than 50% of all Amazon impersonation scams reported by its customers. 

 

"Most of the time, the ruse was to try and trick a customer into confirming a supposed purchase – and do it ASAP! But when the target realises that they did not make that purchase and tries to cancel the fake order by clicking a link or calling the supposed 'customer service' number, the scammers are ready and waiting to steal their personal or financial information," the report says.

 

Further, according to the report, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is getting hit with a slew of new impersonation scams, too, with fakers calling consumers claiming they are an FBI agent collecting on a legal judgment entered against the person.  

 

"That is probably even more menacing than your typical impersonation scam because the threat of being arrested or being on the wrong end of the law is the last thing anyone wants to hear," the report says.

 

Google Warns about 5 Key Scams and Spams

 

Holiday schedules tend to fill up fast, from gathering to gifting and decorating to donating. The last thing anyone wants to do is deal with cyber criminals, including spammers and scammers, who aim to steal your online account information and money.

 

In a blog post, Google has asked Gmail users  to avoid becoming a victim of five key scams and spams. These are gift card and giveaway frauds, charity-related scams, demographic targeting scams, subscription renewals frauds and crypto scams.

 

Gift card and giveaway frauds are typical during the peak holiday season. Fraudsters try to fool victims into buying a gift card for them by pretending to be a recognised contact or offering a free present in exchange for their credit card number. Moreover, if a giveaway seems too good to be true, it can be a scam. Crypto-based frauds frequently come in the form of variations, one of which attempts to extort money from a victim by threatening them.

 

Charity-related scams and phishing attempts harm both the victims of the frauds and the charities that would have benefited from the donations.

 

According to the blog, some of the most pernicious scams are the most targeted explicitly at you. These scams might seem more personal because they include some specific information about your life or identity. Whether it is spoofing communications from local parent-teacher association's (PTA) board members or sending fraudulent emails targeted at particular age groups, keep your eyes open for identity-based malicious emails this holiday season, it advises.

 

"Scams involving membership renewal may create fake antivirus services to attract victims with the promise of increased security. Even though some scammers are highly skilled at making their messages appear believable, users should always check the sender's email. If something seems wrong, it might be fake," Google says.

 

Warning from Kotak Mutual Fund

 

In a release, Kotak Mutual Fund alerted all its investors, partners and the public at large regarding the fraudulent Telegram and social media groups and communities that promise huge amounts of returns against their investment. Recently, it says, multiple social media entities over Telegram and other social media channels have misused the Kotak Mutual Fund brand name, logo, and spokesperson's identity to misguide investors. 

 

Kotak Mutual Fund has only one official Telegram handle, @kotakmutualfund.

 

In all three cases mentioned above, it is clear that cybercriminals are increasingly using impersonation to defraud people. Garnering more and more money remains their ultimate aim, and they use 'greed' or 'fear' to make people succumb to these frauds. 

 

Remember, cybercriminals are an ever-evolving breed and continue to explore and use newer traps to fool or loot people. It is imperative for everyone else to be alert and follow basic safety rules while dealing with any message that contains two basic elements, 'greed' and 'fear'. Cybercriminals may offer you something big (greed) or try to frighten you using the names of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) or police. Many Indian cybercriminals, especially those from the Mewat region in the northeast, are found using the word 'Delhi crime branch' for sextortion calls.  

 

Initially, you may think the message conveyed to you, using either greed or fear, is genuine or authentic. But do not respond to any such message in a hurry. Take your time. Meanwhile, find out more about the 'offer' or 'threat' from the official channel. If the 'offer' is in the name of a bank or a company, you can visit their website and find out more details about the offer. 

 

For example, criminals impersonating Kotak Mutual Fund are 'luring' investors with an offer of huge returns on their invested money. 

 

If it is about 'threat', you can either find out details of the LEA, whose name is used in the message or contact a lawyer or social activist who knows the legal process followed by police. 

 

How Not To Become a Victim?

 

Here are some golden rules shared by Google to avoid becoming a victim of a scam:

 

Slow it down: Scams are often designed to create a sense of urgency. Take time to ask questions and think it through.

 

Spot check: Do your research to double check the details you are getting. Does what they are telling you make sense?

 

Stop! Don't send: No reputable person or agency will ever demand payment or your personal information on the spot.

 

How To Report Cyber fraud?

 

Are you a victim of Online Financial Fraud? Immediately call helpline Number 1930 and register your complaint at https://t.co/cr6WZMOi4c pic.twitter.com/HZqUMKSDNF

— Cyber Dost (@Cyberdost) October 12, 2022