In addition to Airtel, organizations like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the State Bank of India (SBI) have issued warnings about banking and UPI-related fraud.
New Delhi: India’s leading telecom provider Airtel has issued a warning to its millions of users about the growing threat of online fraud. The company has asked all its customers to remain cautious about fake calls and messages. The company has also emphasized the importance of being cautious with any SMS that could potentially be linked to fraudulent activities.
Notably, the Department of Telecommunications has recently introduced new guidelines aimed at helping telecom companies combat online fraud, including measures like message traceability.
Airtel has issued an alert where the company has asked its customers to ignore any calls, messages, or emails requesting updates or verification related to KYC, user ID, passwords, debit card numbers, PINs, CVVs, or OTPs.
These could well be attempts by cybercriminals to obtain sensitive personal information, which could lead to significant financial losses.
It is important to note that there has been a surge in online fraud cases. The hackers exploit the personal data to execute major financial scams. In addition to Airtel, organizations like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the State Bank of India (SBI) have issued warnings about banking and UPI-related fraud. These scams often rely on social engineering techniques to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information.
How to Protect Yourself from Cybercrimes?
Since you cannot eliminate your online presence completely, you can ensure that you keep your data safe by not saving your bank login credentials, updating your software, avoiding suspicious-looking emails or SMS, etc. If your data has been compromised or you are a victim of online harassment, you can report the crime to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
To protect yourself from financial losses occurring due to such cybercrimes, you can opt for cyber insurance. Cyber insurance helps you pay for legal expenses, psychological treatments, and losses that you typically incur while dealing with the aftermath of cyber–attacks.
