TRAI is not calling: Frauders impersonating officials are fooling even the smartest.

A chilling case from Chandigarh, an elderly woman lost more than Rs 2.5 crore to scammers who claimed to be representatives of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They alleged that she was associated with criminal activity and that an FIR had been lodged against her. The matter turned critical when others – impersonating as CBI officers and even the Chief Justice of India joined the call, and warned her that her number would be deactivated. Intimidated and confused, the woman was forced to reveal her bank details, resulting in huge losses. Chandigarh Police are investigating the case.

How do scammers carry out TRAI impersonation scams?

Priyanka Kulkarni, manager, telecom, media and technology, growth advisory, at Aranca, said, "While telecom fraud itself is becoming more advanced in India, TRAI impersonation scams have achieved an "industrial scale". Scammers use advanced technology, coupled with psychological manipulation, to trick even the most careful consumers, she said. These scams usually start with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls from international or spoofed numbers (usually beginning with +65, +67, +670, +8, +85, or +977) taking advantage of the low rate of international call termination in India to flood users with convincing threats," she added.

"Scammers 'escalate' the scenario and victims are transferred to 'officials' speaking in regional dialects to gain trust, and then show fake government documents as evidence. They're sometimes held in long video calls in order to avoid output interference and pressured into making urgent payments and sharing information," Kulkarni stated.

Shubham Singh, an expert in cyber security, described how the scam works on multiple levels:

Caller ID Spoofing: The scammers utilize technology to make it appear as if the call is coming from a government or TRAI-like number.

Fake Warnings: The victim is informed that their SIM will be blocked for illegal reasons or non-verification.

Fake Offers: The scammers offer benefits (such as free upgrades or refunds) and ask for OTPs or personal information.

Phishing Links: SMS containing malicious links that appear to be from official portals or apps. Scammers replicate official websites, and victims are tricked into believing the websites are legal, leading them to share their credentials.

Social Engineering: They emotionally manipulate victims, fear of losing mobile service to rush decisions.

Kulkarni said that fraudsters target sensitive financial and personal information of the victims such as Aadhaar numbers, PAN card numbers, bank account info, credit or debit card information, One-Time Passwords (OTPs), and other KYC (Know Your Customer) information.

How is the stolen data misused?

Financial theft: Fraudsters misuse stolen bank or card information to withdraw money directly or make unauthorized purchases in the victim's name.

Identity theft: With access to Aadhaar, PAN, and bank data, fraudsters create fake identities for open accounts, taking loans, or for other types of fraud.

SIM swapping: Using KYC information, fraudsters get a duplicate SIM issued to intercept OTPs and bypass two-factor authentication, getting access to banking, email, and social media accounts.

Ongoing extortion: Victims are threatened with fake legal threats such as "digital arrest" and forced to send more money.
How to remain safe from such scams.

Never give OTPs or banking information: No officials request for your OTPs, PINs, or bank account details over the phone.
TRAI doesn't make personal calls: TRAI or telecom companies never call users to confirm numbers, ask for Aadhaar, or threaten to disconnect.

Don't click on unfamiliar links: If you receive a strange link through SMS or WhatsApp, don't click on it, it could lead to phishing or malware.

Check twice from authentic sources: For any telecom-related notice or clarification, go to http://www.trai.gov.in.

Make use of the TRAI DND app: Activate Do Not Disturb (DND) using the official app to reduce spam calls and messages.

Get a caller ID app installed: Apps such as Truecaller can identify known scam numbers or suspicious callers before you pick up.

If you become a victim of these scams, report it through the Sanchar Saathi Portal. It is an official portal by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to help users detect and report telecom scams.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/

For more information on IT Services, Web Applications & Support kindly call or WhatsApp at +91-9733733000 or you can visit https://www.technodg.com