Recently a cyber fraud case has come to light from Prayagraj in the name of ticket refund. Here, the cyber criminal posed as a Google Pay customer care representative and cheated the user of about two lakh rupees. Actually, the victim had booked a train ticket from Delhi to Prayagraj a few days ago, which was later cancelled. When he did not receive the refund, he searched for a customer care number on the internet and contacted it. Shortly after, he received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller identified himself as a Google Pay customer care representative and asked him to download an APK file. As soon as the file was downloaded, the fraudster gained access to the mobile. After this, a total of Rs 1.93 lakh was withdrawn from five different accounts of the family linked to the victim’s mobile number. Even a slight carelessness while getting ticket refund can be costly. Therefore, it is very important to understand the correct way of ticket refund. Today in the Cyber Literacy column we will talk about ‘Ticket Refund Scam’. Question- What is ticket refund scam? Answer- This is an online fraud where scammers target travelers who are trying to cancel their flight, train or bus tickets and get a refund. In this scam, cyber criminals place fake customer care numbers on Google through SEO. When searching for customer care numbers on Google, these numbers appear at the top. When a traveler calls these numbers for refund assistance, scammers make them download ‘screen sharing apps’ in the name of refund. In some cases, they steal bank details (like OTP or PIN) by sending fake links. After that, they empty the entire account. Question- How do scammers execute ticket refund scams? Answer- Cyber scammers take advantage of refund delays or technical issues. They contact users through fake customer care numbers to gain their trust. They also access mobile phones in the name of technical support and withdraw money from bank accounts. Understand this from the graphic below- Question- What mistake did the young man in Prayagraj make that led scammers to steal his 2 lakh rupees? Answer- The young man trusted a fake customer care number found on Google and believed the scammer’s words without verification. The biggest mistake was that he downloaded an unknown APK file and gave remote access of his mobile to the scammer. See the 6 mistakes made by the young man in the graphic below- Question- Why do people fall for ticket refund scams? Answer- People are already troubled when there is a delay in refund. In such situations, when someone claims to be a customer care representative and promises immediate resolution, people trust them without investigation. There are several other reasons as well- Question- Why shouldn’t you trust customer care numbers found on the internet? Answer- Many times fake customer care numbers are displayed prominently on the internet through advertisements or manipulation. These numbers are not real, but could belong to cyber fraudsters. Trusting such numbers without verifying from official websites or apps can be risky. Question- What is an APK file and why can downloading it be dangerous? Answer- This is a file format for Android devices that is used to install apps. Downloading it can be dangerous because it may contain viruses or malware that can steal users’ personal information, bank data and take control of the phone. Question- Does Google Pay ever make WhatsApp calls asking to download apps? Answer- No, Google Pay or any other official payment app never makes WhatsApp calls asking to download APK files or apps. Such calls are only made by cyber fraudsters. Any app should only be downloaded from the official Play Store or company website. Question- What to do immediately if an APK file gets downloaded by mistake? Answer- If you have accidentally downloaded a suspicious APK file, don’t panic. Take the necessary actions given in the graphic. Question- What precautions should be taken to avoid ticket refund scams? Answer- Only use official websites or apps for ticket refunds. Do not trust unknown calls, links or files. Vigilance and correct information are the biggest ways to avoid scams. Understand this from the graphic given below- Question- What is the correct way to get a ticket refund? Answer- The correct way is to cancel the ticket from the same platform where you booked it. The official website or app has a ‘ticket cancellation’ option. Check the refund status after canceling the ticket. The refund is returned within a few hours to the same account from which the payment was made. Understand the correct method from the graphic given below- Question- What should you do immediately if you become a victim of ticket refund scam? Answer- Immediately file a complaint by calling the cyber helpline number. Block transactions on bank/payment app. File a written complaint at the nearest police station so that the amount can be recovered in time. Question- Where can you file a complaint about ticket refund scam? Answer- You can file a complaint by calling cyber helpline number 1930. Additionally, you can file an online complaint on the National Cyber Crime Portal (cybercrime.gov.in). You can also register a case by giving written information at the nearest police station or cyber cell.
