Beware of online scams: Here is how cybercriminals are targeting individuals, institutions
power grid, rail network, disrupting everything from communication to transportation and citizen safety.
«What's alarming is that the victims are not limited to the under-educated; they span a diverse spectrum, from software engineers to online traders, all of whom have collectively lost millions of rupees. India, a home to around 1.4 billion minds, is undergoing a remarkable digital revolution.
With 1.15 billion phones and 700 million internet users and counting, access to financial services is easier, even in rural areas,» Praveen Jaiswal, Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Vehere, a cybersecurity firm, said.
Alarming reports suggest a surge in cyberattacks in India during the first three months of 2023, with over 500 million attacks thwarted out of a billion global attempts, as per the 'State of Application Security Report'.
In terms of individual frauds, the modus operandi of these WFH scams is as follows: Scammers cast their net on popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, enticing victims to 'like' and 'subscribe' to specific YouTube videos, for which they promise monetary rewards. They initially guarantee daily earnings of up to 5,000 rupees and set targets for 'liking,' 'sharing,' and 'subscribing' to videos, as well as writing reviews.
Failure to meet these targets results in penalties.
Subsequently, victims are added to a Telegram channel overseen by a 'task manager' who assigns them 'work.' They are then instructed to 'like' specific YouTube videos and send screenshots to the manager. While the Telegram group appears to have 200 participants, the reality is that the victim is the sole member.
