How cyber crimes scammed you in 2023

In 2023, a year marked by the use of AI-based deepfake technology in cyber fraud, things like FraudGPT or WormGPT emerged. The voices of people were copied in fraudulent activities. They were convinced  through calls that someone they knew was behind it. The technology made it challenging to distinguish between real and fake one. A heartbreaking story was narrated.  More than 300 people in Kerala lost over 4 crore rupees in such frauds.

It teaches us that we should not blindly trust incoming calls. Even on familiar voice, it’s crucial to call back before you remit money. cross-check the story narrated to you with your acquaintances.

Digital arrest fraud – Such types of frauds  targeted numerous individuals in 2023. Scammers would call. They would claim to be from a courier company. They would state that their courier was seized by the  custom department. They read people’s Aadhaar numbers and mention illegal activities linked to their ID. They then transfer the call to the police crime branch, would ask them to join a Skype call. They would then declare multiple money laundering cases linked to the victim’s bank account. After the money is transferred,   the scammers vanish. Recently, a woman in Noida fell victim to such a scam, losing over 11 lakh rupees.

Using terms like customs, police crime branch, money laundering they spook people. If you are not engaged in any illegal activities, ignore such calls.

In 2023,  other than courier services scams job related scams also became prevalent. Calls offering work-from-home opportunities become prevalent. People were told that would be paid if they liked YouTube videos, rated  online content, or liked social media posts were deceptive. Initially fraudsters offered 500-700 rupees for tasks, scammers later extorted payment under the pretext of providing membership. A software engineer in Mumbai faced a similar incident, he got a part-time job offer in a hotel rating scheme. He was looted more than  18 lakh rupees.

Pay your electricity bill, or else action will be taken against you. This message troubled many people in 2023, especially senior citizens who became easy targets. A threatening message was sent, claiming to cut the power supply if the bill wasn’t paid. Fraudsters would send link for making payments. Clicking the link led to the download of a third-party app, allowing fraudulent transactions via net banking. In an incident in Mumbai, a senior citizen was scammed for more than 11 lakh rupees.

The Home Ministry informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee that online financial frauds amounted to 2,296 crore rupees in 2022. It increased to 5,574 crore rupees in 2023. Unlocked phones are vulnerable to theft where victims unknowingly share details or make payments. Vigilance and staying alert are crucial  to prevent falling victim to fraud, as the 2023 fraud size may triple in 2024. Learn from the mistakes of the past year to avoid the pitfalls exploited by cybercriminals.