In the age of the internet, we can do tasks quickly. The internet is a terrifying place to be, despite the extra convenience it provides. Cybercrime has been on the rise, and con artists are constantly coming up with new schemes to con people. We'll examine an OLX-related scam in this article.

In these scams, the fraudster typically contacts the individual seeking to sell a product on websites or applications like OLX and Quikr while acting as an Army or Paramilitary employee. He engages in what appears to be a legitimate conversation with the victim.

Once the parties have reached an agreement on a price, the con artist will say that he is stationed in an area of the nation that is inaccessible and cannot, therefore, come to accept the actual delivery or pay in cash.

People quickly believe him because he is claiming to be an Indian Army veteran. The scammer then insists that the victim pay for the item using a payment app like Paytm or Google Pay. The scammer next pretends to have transferred the stated sum to the seller's Paytm account by sending the seller a phony screenshot. The vendor discovers, however, that they have not received any money.

The con artist then plays his final card for the round. Along the way, he walks the victim through the steps and sends a QR code that he says can be used to get the money. The victim falls for it and instead of receiving the money, scans the QR code and enters the UPI pin.

The victim now becomes a little anxious and requests a refund from the fraudster. The fraudster now has a second opportunity to steal more money from the victim's wallet. In order to make up for the money that was unintentionally debited from the victim's account, he says that this was an error and that he is now sending a QR code for twice the amount.

If the victim falls for it once more, the con artist finishes up getting three times as much money. The more times they can do this without being discovered, these fraudsters repeat this exercise.

As a result, the victim loses hundreds of dollars or even thousands of dollars while attempting to sell a product on OLX or Quikr.

Baljeet Singh, the head of the Cyber cell in Gautam Buddh Nagar, spoke exclusively with India TV to clarify the scam and issue a warning "We can stop cybercrime if we stop being foolish. We will see a significant decrease in the number of cybercrime instances when we are more cautious when purchasing online or browsing the internet than we are currently."

He also instructed us on what to do if someone falls for a scam like this. He asserts that the victim ought to inform their bank of this situation first. Then, they should visit the closest police station to contact the cyber cell. The victim can also file a formal complaint by going to cybercrime.gov.in.

In addition, there are several safety precautions that one might do to prevent such a crime. The following are the precautions:

  • Before sending or receiving money, check the buyer's or seller's credentials.
  • A buyer or seller that acts hurriedly or urgently is probably a scammer.
  • Never open any links or scan any QR codes. Money loss is possible.
  • Avoid taking or giving money in advance. It might be a ruse to cheat you.
  • To gain trust and confidence, fraudsters use phony identification documents issued by national institutions. Any such attempt should be avoided.

How to identify if a buyer or seller is fake?

  1. When a buyer pretends to have transferred your money via Google-Pe, Phone-Pe, etc., but the money is really taken from your account.
  2. The buyer requests that you ship the item before they pay for it or offers phony payment documentation.
  3. The buyer will request the item without first checking it and will deceive by giving fake payment confirmations, messages, etc.
  4. Demand for non-cash payment methods: Usually, the buyer is adamant about using a cheque. Note that banks are not liable if cheques bounce.
  5. The buyer requests personal data such as your ID, bank account information, email address, and debit or credit card number.

How to avoid getting scammed?

1. Verify details of buyer/seller before proceeding to payment.

2. Any individual showing urgency or not waiting for a reasonable amount of time is likely to be a scammer.

3. You should never scan a QR code, share an OTP, or visit a link given by anyone on the internet.

4. Your One Time Password (OTP), UPI pin, and other secret information should not be shared on WhatsApp. Never provide banking information if anyone asks you to and always contact your bank. There is a possibility of fraud here.

5. It is recommended that digital escrow platforms be used for payment. When making an online payment with Escrow, you do not share your financial information with anyone. There is a platform for escrow called Vouch.

Digital Escrow Service In India.

Digital escrow services are offered by many companies in India. Among the most trusted is Vouch

Vouch’s Digital Escrow service is a transparent way for buyers and sellers to build trust and secure a clean transfer of product and payment. Sellers can feel assured that they will be fairly compensated promptly, and buyers will feel confident that their order will be delivered as expected and on schedule. Vouch Digital Escrow 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.

Check back here to learn more about Escrow and how to protect yourself from fraud.

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

As you're now aware of the importance of online safety, let's get your transactions secure on Vouch. It's just a click away.