Cash gone in seconds: Scammers target victims via bulk text msgs

Jaipur: A flurry of text messages asking you to download a link could wipe out your savings in seconds.
Gone are the days when a scammer would trick you into divulging your bank account details over the phone, scammers are instead sending bulk text messages to con their unsuspecting victims.
“You would get an SMS, like the ones you get from your banks, the text message would claim that some money has been debited from your account and if you don’t know about the transaction then click on the link. The link is usually malware that helps the accused to wipe out money from your account,” said cyber expert Aayush Bhardwaj.
He said that malware links allow cyber crooks to target UPI applications to siphon money.
According to experts, this trend is particularly challenging because people would not even get a message that their money was withdrawn or transferred without notice. “Often several days pass and people have no idea that their money was stolen,” said a city police official.
Bhardwaj said that people should also guard against clicking on suspicious links on other apps like Telegram.
“There is another trend wherein cyber crooks have embedded malware in links for movie downloads on Telegram. Many people download web series and movies from Telegram, but some of those links are just another way to get remote access to your phone,” he said.
As per police officials, there have also been increasing cases of cyber scammers targeting people by sending messages about electricity bills.
“There have been dozens of cases recently where people complained that they received a text message that their power connections would be snapped if they don’t pay some due charges immediately. The link on the message took the victim to a website where people entered their bank account details and their entire balance vanished,” said an official.
As per Bhardwaj, the best way to guard oneself against such phishing attacks is not to open any suspicious links.