Online shopping has made people’s lives easier. But cyber fraudsters have also found their way here. Recently, a woman from Chandigarh searched for a customer care number on Google for a refund of a damaged product. After this, she got trapped in scammers’ net. The fraudsters stole ₹80,000 from the woman’s account by deceiving her in the refund process. Such scams in the name of refunds are increasing rapidly. Considering this danger, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center (I4C) has issued an alert Therefore, let’s decode this danger of refund scams: QA round with expert Rahul Mishra, cyber security adviser, Uttar Pradesh Police Question- What is a refund scam? How did a woman in Chandigarh fall victim to this scam? Answer- In a refund scam, cyber fraudsters steal money from people’s bank accounts by deceiving them in the name of ‘refunds’ from companies or services. This scam begins when a customer wants a refund after returning damaged products or canceling orders. In Chandigarh, a woman ordered groceries from the quick commerce app ‘Blinkit’. When the product was damaged, the woman searched for a customer care number on Google for a refund. The number shown in search results belonged to scammers. Upon calling, the fraudster posed as customer care and assured to initiate the refund process. Then the scammer made the woman download a screen sharing app. As soon as she shared her screen, the phone’s control went to the fraudster. He accessed bank and wallet apps and stole a total of 80 thousand rupees. This way, under the pretext of providing a refund, money was cleared from the woman’s account. Question- How do cyber fraudsters execute scams in the name of refunds? Answer- In this scam, cyber fraudsters take advantage of user’s trust and lack of technical knowledge. Understand this from the graphic given below- Question- A woman from Chandigarh wanted to get a refund from Blinkit, but what mistake did she make that made her fall victim to this scam? Answer- The woman’s biggest mistake was that- Question- The woman’s mistake was that she searched for customer care number on Google. So can customer care numbers found online be fake too? Answer- Yes, cyber fraudsters make their numbers appear at the top of Google results through SEO and paid advertisements, so that people consider it as the official number. Sometimes these numbers appear with ‘Ad’ tags too, but people don’t pay attention. Therefore, relying solely on Google search is not safe. Question- So how to find the correct customer care number? Answer- The safest way is to visit the company’s official app or official website. Contact them through the ‘contact number’ or ’email ID’ given in the ‘Help’, ‘Support’ or ‘Contact Us’ sections there. Always verify any number showing up in Google search before calling. Question- How to know if a customer care number is genuine or fake? Answer- Always match any customer care number with the contact details provided on the company’s official app or website. Be alert immediately if the number appears different or if the conversation on call seems suspicious. Understand this from the graphic given below- Question- What precautions should be taken to avoid ‘Fake Refund Scams’? Answer- Always contact the company through their official app or website for refunds, complaints, or support. Remember, customer care never asks for control of your phone or OTP for giving refunds. Also, keep in mind some other important points. Understand this from the graphic given below- Question- What should be done immediately if you become a victim of ‘refund scam’? Answer- In such a situation, keep these important points in mind: Question- Where can you file a complaint about ‘refund scam’? Answer- You can register an online complaint on the National Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930 or www.cybercrime.gov.in portal. If needed, you can also report to the nearest cyber cell or police station.
