The Maharashtra Cyber Unit has launched an awareness campaign on social media against remote access fraud. “Fraudsters are leveraging the lack of knowledge and awareness on screen share and remote device access applications, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer and QuickSupport. These are being used to trick and cheat gullible people,” said the state Cyber Unit, urging citizens not to answer random phone calls that ask them to download an application on the laptop or mobile.
Citizens have been requested not to call any number mentioned on website pop-ups, not to give remote access of a device to any unauthorised or unknown person and not to share personal details and payment details to any person over call.
Further, the unit has urged citizens to be aware of UPI QR code scan fraud. “Fraudsters are leveraging the convenience and popularity of UPI payments to trick unsuspecting users, thanks to all like Google Pay, PhonePe, PayTM, BHIM and Amazon Pay,” it said.
It has urged citizens not to send money to unverified sources, not to share personal banking details and download applications from unknown sources. Besides, citizens have been urged not to send messages that contain unknown codes to an unknown number and not to scan any UPI code in case of the receipt of the money.
Modus operandi:
-Fraudsters lure the users to download a remote access application on some pretext.
-Once the user has installed the application, the fraudsters get remote access to the victim’s device.
-Then the fraudsters transact money from the wallet or from the bank accounts linked to the wallet and cheat the victims.
