Offers, too good to be true

Getting a discount like never before with an online deal? There is a possibility that it is a trap. As we all get accustomed to the digital lifestyle in the wake of the pandemic, we are finding more and more people falling victim to online fraud.

Be careful about taking an online offer on a low-priced used vehicle on OLX that is expensive!

Tow-wheeler fraud

An e-commerce portal featured an advertisement offering to sell a two-wheeler by a fake army officer to Shahibaug residents for Rs 35,110. According to Dashrath Prajapati's complaint, his son Nishith bought the white two-wheeler on March 28 for Rs 38,000 from a marketplace on the internet. A man identifying himself as an army officer answered the phone when Nishith called one of the numbers listed in the listing. In addition to sending a picture of himself in an army uniform, an ID card, and other documentation to prove he was a soldier, he even sent him a letter.

Rs 35,000 was the fixed price for the vehicle. In this case, Nishith was asked to transfer the money to the individual's account. The person acknowledges receiving Nishita's Rs 35,110 payment. He claimed the Indian Army Transport would transport the two-wheeler to him. Further money was demanded by him. Prajapatis turned to the cybercrime police when they realized they were being conned.

Here are a few tips for staying safe on online marketplaces

  1. Make sure you place your order over a secure connection
  2. Verify the merchant's presence and reputation
  3. Avoid offers that seem too good to be true
  4. Please do not deal with sellers who ask for personal information, money in advance, or bank details
  5. Avoid accepting or making advance payment. Accept only if the payment is made through digital escrow like Vouch.
  6. Fraudsters use fake identification to gain trust. Keep a check on such attempts.

Digital Payment - Faster yet unsafe!

After the widespread adoption of digital payments in recent years, countries like India have become increasingly adept at digital payments. There has been a substantial increase in citizens using cashless transactions in India's suburbs and hinterlands, including through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Internet Banking, and other means. India is poised to experience a 78 percent increase in digital payments in the coming months, according to reports

Frauds over OLX

More than 4000 cases of fraud were reported over the last year amongst which in maximum cases the conmen posed as army officials. In a lot of cases, the victims were unable to get the lost money back. 

How do they win trust? - AADHAR and ID CARDS

Maximum of scammers over the internet who pose as army officials have fake identity proofs such as Aadhar cards. They often send pictures of their fake Aadhar to the victims to win their trust and in maximum cases, they succeed.

How does Digital Escrow save you from online frauds?

Vouch’s Digital Escrow service is a transparent way for clients and freelancers to build trust and secure a clean transfer of product and payment. Freelancers can feel assured that they will be fairly compensated in a timely manner, and clients will feel confident that their order will be delivered as expected and on schedule. 
Vouch Digital Escrow uses a non-interest-bearing escrow account for all transactions and keeps you updated and informed at every step of the transaction process till the end. Vouch’s professionals are always available to assist you with all queries that you may have during the entire transaction process. There is no scope for deceit or fraud since the payments, shipping, delivery, and execution are carried out under the honest and watchful eyes of the Vouch’s professionals. With Vouch, any business transaction becomes transparent, uncomplicated, and hassle-free.

This is Fraud Story #51. Check back here for more fraud chronicles and scams that you can protect yourself from.

Safety is not just about protecting your credit or debit card number. It's about having control of your money till you've received the product or service you bought online!

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Note: This is a good-faith initiative to educate the world about how to avoid frauds like these. Do you have a fraud that you would like to report? Please write to us at letstalk@iamvouched.com