Just think: There are only two types of people in the world of cyber threats. One who knows that his account has been hacked. And others who have not found out yet. Everyone comes in these two groups. There is no exception. Cyber fraud has a very bad effect, but not the way you think. Scammers target the rich, not the poor. On an average, there is a loss of Rs 3 to 4 crore in each case. Digital arrest scams rarely target people with small savings. They target big businessmen, executives and high-paid professionals. A trader lost Rs 17 crore in the bluff of a fake investment app. Senior VP of a big company lost Rs 3.5 crore. Even lawyers and bureaucrats have fallen victim, losing 6 million or more. All this does not happen suddenly. Criminals choose high-value targets from leaked data. They know exactly who has the cash.
Wrong logic of password complexity
Making passwords long and difficult sounds smart. But this is not the real thing. If your details have already been leaked online, no complicity can save you. Criminals don’t judge them. They steal them straight from the breech. Think about it. Your strong password reaches the dark web. What is the need to strengthen what is already outside? Keep changing them often, of course. But real security starts somewhere else. Data shows that billions of accounts are exposed every year. Millions of Yahoo accounts were hacked in 2014. Two billion accounts were affected by Gmail Hacks. Focus on leaks, not just strength.
Necessary Misunderstanding: Hacking You vs. Hacking Your Device
Scammers don’t try to get into your phone or laptop. They hack you first. As experts say, “Criminals hack you to access your device” Social tricks beat tech hacks nine times out of ten. You let them in through trust. A call, a link, a chat. Your mistake opens the door. Antivirus apps help the device. But they cannot correct human error. This is the weak link. The pressure does the same thing to you as it does to children. Stories change when overstressed. Same thing happens with you in stress. Stay calm. Question everything.
The Way to Agreement: Third-Party Apps and Over-Permission
Apps seem harmless. Games with chat features? Big risk. Children install them on family phones. Inside, strangers remain hidden. Half of gamers are adults, many of whom are criminals. Your child chats with unknown people. Is it safer than talking on the street? Not at all. They send the link. You click. The data goes out. Location, battery, SIM details—everything goes. Permissions also keep accumulating. Ten apps read your OTP and emails. Shares every alert secrets. Send bank code. Apps take them quietly. Tighten those settings. Remove those that are not needed.
IVR Setup: Creating the illusion of validity
It starts with a robocall. A pre-recorded voice says your courier is back. Press 9 for details. You press. Now you are trapped. An agent picks up the phone. You explain. They confirm your number, address. It feels real. Your mind believes the story. There is no doubt yet. This later raises doubts. When they reveal there are “drugs” inside, you get nervous. But you have already confirmed that it is yours.
Enhancing credibility: engaging fake law enforcement agencies
They connect you to “Mumbai Crime Branch”. Or NCB, CBI. Names are told quickly. FIR has been registered. Investigation is going on. You refuse. “This is not my package!” They exert pressure. You said it was yours. Now select: Talk or face warrant. Fear closes questions. Even professional people get trapped. Government officials, lawyers. News screams warnings. But pressure blinds them. Stay connected? Verify the call yourself.
Self-validation and the last trap: forcing the victim
They send a Skype link. A fake station appears in the video. Handcuffs hang. The atmosphere feels like police. Click on a link. It looks like the site of the Supreme Court. Search your name. Download “Warrant”. Your photo is there. You have found it yourself. Now select: Digital arrest or physical? You choose digital. Stay on camera. Keep the phone charged. Don’t talk to others. They slowly ask questions. Transfer money for “checking”. It’s like AI tricks. Pressure makes a lie a truth. We harbor the illusion of truth under pressure. Just like machines.
First 3 hours: the most important time to take action
Identify scams quickly. Most victims find out within seconds. But take action now. Funds disappear rapidly. Three hours decides everything. Money comes out of India quickly. Call 1930 immediately. This is a helpline. Delay can cause loss worth crores. Stories tell that 95% of people understand quickly. But nervousness slows down the steps.
Using Official Channels: 1930 Helpline and Bank Notification
Dial 1930. Report fraud. Provide transaction ID, UPI details. They freeze accounts for 48 hours. RBI Rules: Tell your bank within three days. They cover 100% if you do. Also email proof. For small losses of less than Rs 50,000, the court is not required. Banks refund directly.
Path after notification: Freezing, Controversy and RBI Ombudsman
Cash frozen? The bank notifies the recipient. 21 days to explain. No answer? The money comes back to you. Big money? The court can divide the claim. Many victims fight for balance. Is the bank reluctant? Go to RBI Ombudsman. File to cms.rbi.org.in. They press for a quick solution.
Money laundering manipulation after transactions
Scammers layer funds. First six or seven accounts. Then buy crypto, gaming credit, gift cards. Amazon vouchers sell out anywhere. The trace ends. Beneficiaries are hiding in Romania or Dubai. Mules use Farmer ID. No clue is found that they are involved. Recovery is difficult without speed.
Reducing Digital Footprint: Mastering Social Media Privacy
Shorten your online trail. Criminals use it to target. On Facebook, set the friend list to “Only Me”. Post? Just for friends. No public shares. It blocks clones. Fake people can’t copy your circle. Mixing personal and public? Big mistake. Choose one. If you’re sharing it with more people, limit family pics.
Unbreakable Safety Layer: Mandatory Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Turn on 2FA everywhere. OTP puts an interruption. Criminals cannot take it in advance. For WhatsApp, set a six-digit PIN in Settings. Don’t share it. Not even with family. It blocks hacking even if the phone is stolen. OTP alone will not be enough.
Checking Your Digital Health: Tools for Exposure Verification
Use Have I Been Pwned.com. Enter email. See Breach History. Change password from list. Scans movie armor app link, QR code. Checks risk in apps. Flags data leaks associated with your number. Check every month. Act on alerts. Small steps prevent big losses.
Leveraging Government Security Initiatives: Sanchar Sathi Portal
Go to sanchar-saathi.gov.in. Check SIMs associated with Aadhaar. Block extras. Lost phone? Report IMEI there. Get an alert if it pings. Last year, 1.4 million recovered. Are you troubled by international calls? Report and block. Verify second-hand purchases as well.
The impact of AI: improving phishing and creating fake identities
AI creates the perfect email. Now there is no spelling mistake. ChatGPT Pro drafts notes. Fake people win trust quickly. Thispersonadosnotexist.com shows faces like real. Scammers create profiles on Tinder, Bumble. Billions of rupees have already been earned. They copy people’s lives. You chat, and you get stuck.
The biggest threat: deepfake voice and video scams
Voice clones mimic children’s voices. “Dad, I’m stuck. Send 5 lakh bucks now.” Parents send money without thinking. A Hong Kong firm lost 26 million. Deepfake CEO Video ordered the transfer. The accountant followed the order. Video creates fear. Fake spanking. Emotions dominate logic. Always verify the sound.
Session Hijacking: Stealing Active Login Without Password or OTP
Click on a bad link. Session ID steals your login. No password is required. Browsers save sessions. There is refresh from the scammer’s side. You are inside without a key. Banks time out quickly. But social sites last longer. Update browser. Log out often.
“Gift” bluff: call merging and call forwarding scams
Call merging: two unknown calls. Merge them. OTP leaks in conference. Do not merge incoming calls. Call yourself. This allows you to save the numbers you know. Forwarding uses codes such as 62. Texts trick you into dialling. Calls get diverted. OTPs go to them.
Tools like antivirus help. But they are not enough. The real defence is awareness. Always be alert. We are all connected to each other. Hack a friend, it will reach you. Share this information. Teach family, friends. Take action now. Check leaks. Enable 2FA. If you are a victim, call 1930. Together, we will create secure networks. Your step matters.
Read Also:
The dark web is a confluence of the world of drugs, weapons, the underworld, and…
The Dark Web Explained 96 percent of the Internet is the Dark Web. This is…
If we say that today's era is the era of the internet and technology, then…
In today's digital age, internet use has become an important part of our daily life.…
You learned what the dark web is and how to access it using the Tor…
We understood the concept of the Dark Web. Now the question is, how to go…