Technology

Top 5 Most Common Online Scams in India

India is a prime target for online scammers, as people there have a high usage of the internet. Here are the most common online scams in India, and how to avoid them.

Published

4 years ago

October 15, 2020

Manvendra Chaudhary

Online scams are growing by the day, unfortunately. As more people are using the internet around the world, this is becoming an increasingly big problem.

Online phishing accounted for 29% of all fraud attacks for the first three months of 2019, according to cybersecurity firm RSA. India was second only to the United States in terms of host countries for these phishing attacks, too.

The report found that phishing attacks on mobile apps increased a whopping 300% from the last quarter of 2018 to the first quarter of 2019.

Scammers look to take advantage of vulnerable people who aren’t as knowledgeable about the internet or protective of their own information. They seek to gain information such as people’s full names, birth dates, bank account or financial information, as well as online usernames and passwords.

While scam attempts seem to be everywhere on the internet today, here are the 5 most common online scams in India.

1. Online Shopping

Websites can often pose as legitimate e-commerce sites and offer huge discounts on products and services that people desire. These websites can run digital advertising campaigns that offer coupon codes or special discounts if you click a specific link.

Online scammers can also target people through social media apps such as WhatsApp. They will reach out to people and offer them special discounts on products if they click a specific link.

Once you click the link, you are taken to a scam page that looks real. You’ll enter all your pertinent personal and financial information, hoping to receive products you ordered. However, the phishing site will just steal your money and your information without giving you the product you ordered.

Must Read: SSL Certificate: What is It and Why Do You Need It for Your E-commerce Website?

2. Online Casinos

Online gambling is becoming increasingly popular around the world. Internet and smartphone technology is advancing at a pace that it makes it easy to play casino games for real money without having to go to a land-based casino.

This makes for a prime target for scammers. Phishers can set up fake online casinos that look just like a legitimate company. They can ask you to enter your personal and financial information, and then simply steal your money and gain access to your other accounts.

Another form of scam for online casinos is a rigged casino. Everything about the site will be legitimate, except the back-end technology will be set up so that players don’t have a great chance to actually win.

Avoiding such schemes is possible as there are sites like www.Scams.info which help players finding secure online casinos as it’s important to play at licensed and regulated by a real government agency.

3. Social Media

Scammers will target social media accounts often as well. The hackers will aim to either get access to people’s social media accounts, or they’ll clone an account in attempt to gain information from other people.

A large-scale hack of Twitter accounts happened earlier this year. The assault hacked the accounts of prominent figures in the United States as part of a Bitcoin scam.

Hackers can copy people’s photos and personal information from their social media page, and then set up a separate fake page using that information. They’ll then friend request the same people and reach out to them in attempt to gain access to personal information.

One way to prevent social media cloning from happening is by setting your accounts to private. This prevents unknown people from even viewing your personal information and photos.

4. Employment

With so many people in India applying for a job online every year — almost 12 million, in fact — the job market is prime for scams. The unemployment rate is high in the country, too, so these people are often desperate for a job that pays them money.

Scammers will often target people seeking jobs, offering them high pay for a job to entice them to sign on. Once the “offer” is accepted, the fake employer will ask for a person’s personal information and banking information where they’ll deposit their paycheck. Then, they’ll steal their information and money.

Do some research on companies before signing up, and don’t ever give out bank details.

5. Lottery

Lottery fraud is one of the oldest there is. Congratulations messages can appear in ads, pop-ups and emails.

The scammers will often ask for banking information on where to deposit the money you’ve “won.” They also might ask you for a credit card or other payment method to pay a registration fee so you can qualify for the winnings.

It’s a dead giveaway if any lottery asks for personal financial information of this kind to give you money you’ve supposedly won.

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Manvendra Chaudhary

Manvendra Chaudhary, with over 5 years of professional experience as CEO of Unique News and Megalent Marketing, shares insights on life, business, and health for your success.

Technology

Samsung develops the fastest DRAM chip for AI applications in the industry

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2024

IANS

Samsung develops industry's fastest DRAM chip for AI applications

In a groundbreaking development, Samsung has announced the creation of the industry’s first low-power double data rate 5X (LPDDR5X) DRAM chip for AI applications. The new chip boasts high performance of up to 10.7 Gbps, marking a significant improvement in both speed and capacity compared to previous models.

Low-power, high-performance LPDDR chips are becoming increasingly important in the on-device AI market. Samsung’s latest LPDDR5X products, developed with 12 nanometer-class process technology, are the smallest in size among existing LPDDR chips, further cementing the company’s position as a leader in the low-power DRAM sector.

A company spokesperson stated, “Samsung will continue to innovate and deliver optimized products for the upcoming on-device AI era through close collaboration with customers.” Mass production of the LPDDR5X is set to commence in the second half of the year, pending verification by mobile application processor and device providers.

The unveiling of Samsung’s LPDDR5X DRAM chip represents a significant step forward in the field of AI technology. The chip’s impressive performance and capacity enhancements are expected to further drive the adoption of on-device AI solutions in various industries. This groundbreaking innovation is sure to set a new standard for memory solutions tailored for AI applications.

Technology

PM Modi expresses strong interest in Zoho’s rural development model: Sridhar Vembu

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2024

IANS

PM Modi showed keen interest in our model of rural development: Zoho's Sridhar Vembu

New Delhi, April 17 (IANS) – Zoho Founder and CEO, Sridhar Vembu, revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed interest in Zoho’s rural development model in Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu during his recent meeting. PM Modi praised the company’s efforts in creating high-tech capabilities and jobs in rural areas.

During an election rally in Ambasamudram, PM Modi met Vembu to discuss Zoho’s rural development through R&D model. Vembu expressed gratitude towards PM Modi for taking the time to understand and appreciate the company’s operations in Tenkasi as a model of rural development.

“PM Modi came to Ambasamudram which is close to my village. Even in the middle of his hectic campaign schedule, he gave me time to meet him and brief him on our rural development through R&D model and on creating high-tech capability and jobs in rural areas,” Vembu shared on social media.

Vembu highlighted that PM Modi showed keen interest in Zoho’s Tenkasi operations. He praised the Prime Minister’s leadership and expressed his support for his continued health and service to the nation. Zoho, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Chennai, employs over 15,000 individuals globally.

During his rally in Ambasamudram, PM Modi criticized the DMK in Tamil Nadu, alleging that they conspired with the Congress to hand over the Katchatheevu island to a foreign nation. PM Modi emphasized his commitment to developing a ‘Viksit Tamil Nadu’ along with a ‘Viksit Bharat’ for overall progress.

The interaction between PM Modi and Zoho’s CEO highlights the government’s interest in innovative rural development models like the one implemented by Zoho in Tenkasi district. The meeting signifies a recognition of the potential for high-tech job creation in rural areas leading to localized economic growth and development.

Technology

MediBuddy Healthcare Platform Reaches Break-Even Point in Fiscal Year 2024

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2024

IANS

Healthcare platform MediBuddy achieves break-even in FY24

New Delhi, April 17 (IANS) Digital healthcare platform MediBuddy has announced that it has reached break-even with a marginal loss in the previous fiscal year, moving towards EBITDA neutrality. The company has seen a significant increase in its user base by 2.4 times over the last three years, serving close to 3 crore people with over 1 crore subscribers.

According to Satish Kannan, Co-founder and CEO of MediBuddy, “By leveraging technology, our platform enhances doctor-patient interactions, fueling remarkable growth and expanding healthcare access nationwide.” The company is now focusing on exploring mergers and acquisitions opportunities in key healthcare areas such as chronic disease management, mental health, diabetes, women’s care, and weight management, supported by an $18 million capital pool.

MediBuddy has a network of over 90,000 doctors across more than 22 specialities, and works with over 7,100 hospitals and clinics. The company has also onboarded over 10,000 hospitals and diagnostic centers for all radiology and pathology investigations. Kannan stated, “We empower doctors through our platform, offering accessible care via video consultations, hospital visits, clinics, pharmacy deliveries, and diagnostic services.”

The company’s commitment to innovation and technology has led to its break-even milestone, as it continues to focus on providing quality healthcare services to its growing user base. MediBuddy’s emphasis on enhancing doctor-patient interactions and expanding healthcare access has contributed to its success in achieving break-even status in the previous fiscal year.