Call forwarding scam on rise in Himachal: What is it and how to stay safe
A senior citizen in Shimla lost Rs 10 lakh after he received a call from a suspicious number
A new type of scam is targeting mobile phone users—and it doesn’t require clicking on any suspicious links.
Known as the call forwarding scam, it tricks people into dialing a specific code (like *121* or *401* followed by a phone number) on their mobile phones that silently forwards their calls - including one-time passwords (OTPs) - to a number controlled by the scammer.
To gain trust, attackers often pose as customer service representatives from telecom providers or courier services, luring them into dialing a specific code.
As a result, scammers dupe people by transferring their money to their accounts without the victim's knowledge.
Shimla man loses Rs 10 lakh to cybercriminals
A senior citizen in Shimla lost Rs 10 lakh after he received a call from a suspicious number.
As per the complainant, he alleged that he received a call after which he received a message in which it was mentioned that an amount of Rs 10 lakh had been withdrawn from his account, leaving him in shock. He had mentioned that he did not receive any OTP, nor did he click on any suspicious link. The case is being investigated by the police.
How to stay safe
Taking note of the scam, police have advised people to never respond to suspicious and unknown calls, and immediately report to the cyber cell wing of the police by dialling the toll-free cybercrime helpline number 1930 in case of being duped by cyber criminals.
Additionally, people have also been advised to never share any personal or financial information with anyone and also never to click on or open suspicious links, as such links could lead to identity theft and financial losses. Furthermore, police also advised people to always be aware of new trends in cybercrime in order to avoid falling victim to such scams.
Emphasising the immediate reporting of cybercrime cases, police stated that reporting the scam within the first three hours is very crucial as this can help in getting the criminal arrested, freezing the amount stolen, and it also increases the chance of recovering lost money.
Reporting the crime within the first three hours, also known as the ‘golden hour’, helps in minimising the loss as immediate action is taken against the fraudsters.
