This Covid-19 Booster Shot Has the Potential To Drain Your Bank Account.
For residents over the age of 60, the government has begun administering a precautionary third dosage of Covid-19 vaccination. People are rushing to receive the booster jab due to a sudden increase in the distribution of the variation, and fraunders perceive this as an opportunity to deceive them. Cybercriminals are obtaining sensitive information from victims under the guise of supplying information for a booster immunization in a new scam. The information is used to steal money from the victim’s bank account.
How Does the Covid-19 Booster Shot Con Work?
Fraudsters call you first and pose as government workers. Senior citizens are frequently targeted by these criminals. They next inquire as to whether they have been immunized twice. The caller may already have all of your information in some circumstances. They also double-check your name, age, residence, and other personal information to make you appear legitimate. To appear genuine, the fraudsters would sometimes share the date of immunization.
The caller then asks if you’re interested in having a Covid-19 vaccination booster shot and if you’d want to schedule an appointment. The fraudster will ask for the OTP that you obtain on your phone after verifying the appropriate date and time for the injection. This is where the true con begins. The purpose of the OTP is to verify the money transfer from your account. The money from your bank account is transferred once you give them the OTP.
How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of This Rip-Off
Keep in mind that the government does not schedule immunization appointments over the phone. If you want to schedule a Covid-19 vaccine appointment, go to http://cowin.gov.in. You can also access the page using the Aarogya Setu mobile app. If you are unable to schedule an appointment, you may still receive your immunization by strolling into any vaccination center with a valid government ID.
The message that arrives with an OTP is frequently avoided, especially when it is expected. Always read the message that comes with OTP because it explains what the code is for, and you should never share this one-time password with anyone.