PNS | DEHRADUN
The cyber crime unit of the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has issued a warning about a new method of cyber fraud known as call merging which allows scammers to gain access to the victim’s mobile phone details, including OTPs and bank account information. Authorities have been alerting the public about various cyber fraud techniques that have been causing financial losses as scammers target individuals through phone calls and online scams.
According to the deputy superintendent of police of cyber crime police station, STF, Ankush Mishra, in the call merger scam, fraudsters contact individuals under the pretext of offering an opportunity, an invitation to a programme or participation in a podcast. “During the conversation, the victim receives another call and the fraudsters request them to merge the calls. Once the call is merged, the scammers can listen to incoming OTPs and other sensitive information, which they use to access bank accounts and social media accounts,” he said.
The SSP has urged people to avoid answering calls from unknown numbers and to refrain from merging calls, as this could result in unauthorised access to their financial and personal data. Mishra stated that even a single click or action taken at the instruction of an unknown person could compromise bank account security.
