There’s a video doing rounds on Facebook and other social media platforms that claims how fraudsters have found a new way to dupe people and steal/syphon off money from their bank accounts. In the video, the man claims that a scam is spreading where a fraudster in a public place requests people to share their smartphone to make an urgent call. The excuse that these scammers are claimed to usually make is that they need to make the call to their brother or any relative who is in the hospital and that their own phone has no battery.
They will take the phone from the victim on the pretext of making the call. The first call that they make goes unanswered. Then they plead to make one last call from the phone to another number, which too goes unanswered. Then the person in the viral video claims that sometime after these phones are made the victim realises that money has been deducted from his bank account.
The modus operandi claimed by the person in the video is that they put the victim’s phone calls on auto forwarding by dialing certain codes. He claims that while making these calls the fraudster dials a series of numbers (rather codes) on the smartphone that enables him/her to route all calls coming on the victim’s phone to another number which is actually of the hacker or fraudster’s. Through this they also receive the OTP that comes on the victim’s mobile and steal money from their bank accounts and UPI apps.
How this call forwarding OTP scam does not work
While call forwarding enables users to forward an incoming call to any other mobile number so that they can have their calls attended to when they are unable to do so, it does not forward OTP of any kind whatsoever. The call can be forwarded to an alternate number of the called party (landline/ mobile) but any bank OTP or any other OTP that comes via SMS cannot be transferred. Yes, in case an OTP comes through voice call then that can be hacked but this again is very unlikely to come on a call forwarded number.
How call forwarding works
Also, most modern smartphones (both Android and iPhones) come with the functionality to enable call forwarding on a mobile number through the advanced call settings. This method does not require dialling any codes as it is simply a toggle within the settings app. You can forward your calls to a certain number both in iPhones as well as Android devices by simply through the ‘Phone’ option in Settings.
What makes OTPs not easy to crack
One Time Password or OTPs are the added security layer to protect network access and users’ digital identities. The mobile number on which a bank account holder receives OTP is his registered mobile number. This can be changed only after a due procedure that in most circumstances involves visiting a bank’s branch. Changing the registered mobile number linked to an account via internet banking is not possible.
Yes, OT and mobile banking frauds happen. But in majority of cases they are a result of impersonation or a gullible action on the part of the account holder.
How to protect yourself from OTP scams
* Never disclose your OTP and PIN number to any person on phone or via email/SMS.
* No Bank or other institution will ever ask for credentials like OTP, PIN, CVV number.
* Don’t attend any call or disconnect calls if the other person asks your OTP, PIN, CVV number or other credentials.
* Never click on unknown links received via email, SMS or WhatsApp.
They will take the phone from the victim on the pretext of making the call. The first call that they make goes unanswered. Then they plead to make one last call from the phone to another number, which too goes unanswered. Then the person in the viral video claims that sometime after these phones are made the victim realises that money has been deducted from his bank account.
The modus operandi claimed by the person in the video is that they put the victim’s phone calls on auto forwarding by dialing certain codes. He claims that while making these calls the fraudster dials a series of numbers (rather codes) on the smartphone that enables him/her to route all calls coming on the victim’s phone to another number which is actually of the hacker or fraudster’s. Through this they also receive the OTP that comes on the victim’s mobile and steal money from their bank accounts and UPI apps.
How this call forwarding OTP scam does not work
While call forwarding enables users to forward an incoming call to any other mobile number so that they can have their calls attended to when they are unable to do so, it does not forward OTP of any kind whatsoever. The call can be forwarded to an alternate number of the called party (landline/ mobile) but any bank OTP or any other OTP that comes via SMS cannot be transferred. Yes, in case an OTP comes through voice call then that can be hacked but this again is very unlikely to come on a call forwarded number.
How call forwarding works
Also, most modern smartphones (both Android and iPhones) come with the functionality to enable call forwarding on a mobile number through the advanced call settings. This method does not require dialling any codes as it is simply a toggle within the settings app. You can forward your calls to a certain number both in iPhones as well as Android devices by simply through the ‘Phone’ option in Settings.
What makes OTPs not easy to crack
One Time Password or OTPs are the added security layer to protect network access and users’ digital identities. The mobile number on which a bank account holder receives OTP is his registered mobile number. This can be changed only after a due procedure that in most circumstances involves visiting a bank’s branch. Changing the registered mobile number linked to an account via internet banking is not possible.
Yes, OT and mobile banking frauds happen. But in majority of cases they are a result of impersonation or a gullible action on the part of the account holder.
How to protect yourself from OTP scams
* Never disclose your OTP and PIN number to any person on phone or via email/SMS.
* No Bank or other institution will ever ask for credentials like OTP, PIN, CVV number.
* Don’t attend any call or disconnect calls if the other person asks your OTP, PIN, CVV number or other credentials.
* Never click on unknown links received via email, SMS or WhatsApp.
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