COVID-19 related Cyber Fraud continues...
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UCO Bank, CISO Office
May 2021/ I Issue
Volume No 11
COVID-19 related Cyber Fraud continues...
As India grapples with the As the SMS seemed fake,
second wave of Covid-19, Sonu did not clicked the link
cybercriminals are working and immediately deleted the
overtime to take advantage of SMS.
the situation. There are
already many incidents of
frauds involving vaccines, New Message From
donations, etc.
Last year was no different. Cybercriminals
posed as bank officials and offered loan
moratorium for a “fee". There were fake
UPI (unified payment interface) handles
for PM CARES Fund and many more.
Cyber fraud scenario has worsened this
year as people are using social media more
often and now more people are working
from home. Simultaneously, new hubs of
cybercrimes have mushroomed, garnering
newer ideas for tricking people.
In this edition, I will narrate you few
techniques adopted by scamsters for After 2days, Sonu got a call
defrauding users. from an unknown number.
Hello…. who’s
this?
I am calling from your
As soon as the Government has started local Health Centre, on
vaccination programme for 18+ aged behalf of State Health
Department.
citizens, getting a Covid-19 vaccine has
become an almost impossible task. While
people are desperately trying to find a slot We are calling to register
citizens of 18+ and above
on the Cowin app, cyber criminals have for Covid vaccine.
begun to lure them with fake offers.
One day Sonu got a message from an Oh… Okay. But that we
unknown number asking to register for can do via COWIN
Covid vaccination by clicking a link. portal only, isn’t it?
Page 1 of 4 CISO Office, UCO Bank
COVID-19 related Cyber Frauds continues...
Yes sir. But for our citizen’s AV-AADHAR
convenience, we have started
registration process in our local
Health Care Centre also. Your verification
code is XXXX for
Aadhar authenti-
cation at XYZ
That’s nice. Do I EasyPay. Don’t
have to visit the
local hospital
for registration?
Yes yes. It is
Yes. Otherwise, you can also
XXXX.
register online. I will guide you.
We have sent an SMS earlier with
the registration link. Have you
Thank you sir. You have been
registered through it?
successfully registered for the
vaccine.
Sonu recalls the SMS….
You will get a
confirmation code on
your mobile. Please
Oh no. I have deleted share that code when
it mistakenly. What our Health Officials visit
should I do now? to vaccinate you.
No problem sir. I can register you
And the call
via Aadhaar verification also. I disconnects…
will verify your address and you After What is
will get registered for the vaccine. this !!!
Please tell your Aadhaar number...
sometime,
Sonu gets an
SMS… 1 new
SMS
Ok. Note it
down… 3309
XXXX XXXX AV-ESYPAY
Ok sir. Please wait. I am Dear Customer, your
registering your Aadhaar. You request for Aadhaar
will get a registration OTP loan of Rs 50,000 has
code. Please tell that.. been successfully sub-
mitted. Amount will be
credited shortly to
1 new
SMS
Cyber Tales by Tenali - Vol 11, May 2021 / I Issue Page 2 of 4 CISO Office, UCO Bank
COVID-19 related Cyber Frauds continues...
What actually happened here?
Hello…. I am calling for
Sonu has been a victim of covid testing. Do you
Fake Covid Vaccine have a centre at
Gariahat area?
registration fraud. Various
sites and apps provide
instant loan based on Welcome to ABCCure
Aadhaar / PAN Card Diagnostic. We are sorry
madam, we don't have
verification. In this case, our centre at Gariahat.
Mogambo, impersonating as
Health Official tricked Sonu But we provide home
into sharing Aadhaar number and OTP for collection of samples at a
taking loan of Rs 50000 into his own extra charge of Rs 50. Do
account. Taking loan based on Sonu’s you want to avail that?
Aadhaar number makes Sonu liable to pay
back the loan amount to ‘XYZ EasyPay’
Yes, that will be better.
company. Please book a home
Stay Aware collection for covid for
me. What will be the cost?
Do not share sensitive personal /
information like Aadhaar number,
account number, card no, expiry date, It will cost Rs950 + Home
CVV, password, PIN, OTP etc with collection charge Rs 50.
But, madam, you have to
anyone over phone call / email / SMS. pay advance Rs 500 for
Carefully inspect contents of the OTP pre-booking purpose.
message before taking any action,
since most of the services specify the
purpose of OTP generation in the sms. Why advance? I have
heard no other labs
taking advance...
Amrita was not feeling well since last Earlier we also didn’t
few days and thought to get tested for took advance. But as Source: Twitter
demand is high, so for
covid. She searched for covid our confirmation, we
testing laboratories near her have started this.
residence and called them.
All the centres denied due to
non-availability of test kits. As it was urgent for Amrita to get tested,
Then she posted in her social she paid Rs500 advance booking fee via
media wall asking for help. wallet to ABCCure Diagnostics.
After sometime, she started Meanwhile the
getting responses from her Oh… okay… person
friends providing numbers of How to pay? disconnected
test centres. She again called the call and
them and found not available. switched off the number.
Finally she came across a number of Amrita got tensed and searched internet
ABCCure Diagnostic. for ABCCure Diganostic’s helpline,
Cyber Tales by Tenali - Vol 11, May 2021 / I Issue Page 3 of 4 CISO Office, UCO Bank
COVID-19 related Cyber Frauds continues...
address or any other information but could people booked tests online with little-
not get any. Amrita eventually realised of known labs, which turned out to be frauds.
being defrauded. Cases are also there in which the
She immediately reported the case to the scammers even visit the victim’s house
Social Media Handle of the Local Police and collect the sample. Later, they either
Authority, providing the scamsters’s don’t provide a report or send a fake one.
number and a brief detail. Stay Protected
She also uploaded a warning post in her Do not rely blindly on numbers
social media profile to warn her friends circulating in social media or
ad family members. messenger services like WhatsApp.
What actually happened here? Do not transact with unknown person
Amrita has been a victim of without verifying their genuineness.
fake covid testing fraud. As During home collection of samples,
the number of covid cases Check identity card of the lab
rises, laboratories are unable technician.
to keep up with the demand
for tests. Cybercriminals are Call the lab before making any
taking advantage of the payment
clogged system. There have Take a receipt of the payment.
been numerous cases where
Caution of
p pro ved b y th e Indian Council
a lab a
Book a test with edical Research only.
M e
, d o a n on li n e search about th
ss a new lab ity that
If you come acro credential. There is a probabil blogs /
company and its lked about it on social media /
ave ta
victims would h webpages.
In case you have fallen
prey to any such fraud,
immediately-
Report immediately to
the nearest Cyber Crime
Police Station & National Keep
Cyber Crime Reporting
Portal
https://cybercrime.gov.in
Eyes Open
We welcome your valuable suggestions / feedback at ciso.office@ucobank.co.in
Cyber Tales by Tenali - Vol 11, May 2021 / I Issue Page 4 of 4 CISO Office, UCO Bank
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