Rakshabandhan: How to protect yourself from cyber fraud in online shopping? One mistake of yours can empty your bank account

News Topical, Digital Desk : Today, the festival of Raksha Bandhan is being celebrated with great pomp across the country. Cybercriminals are also cleverly cheating by taking advantage of this holy festival. Instead of going to shops, people now put more emphasis on buying rakhi, gifts and sweets online. Cybercriminals take advantage of this and empty their bank accounts. In such a situation, one should avoid becoming a victim of cybercrime on the day of festivals. According to cyber security vendor CloudSEK, from fake e-commerce sites, fraudsters have found many ways to steal money.

Phishing Messages

Scammers send messages like 'Rakhi gift delivery' or 'exclusive sale coupons' in your inbox, WhatsApp and SMS. These often contain fraudulent links that install malware or steal bank details when clicked.

Fake e-commerce website

Cyber criminals create fraudulent websites imitating legitimate platforms and offer attractive Rakhi deals to lure users into sharing their banking details.

Social media fraud

Scammers also advertise fake Rakhi deals on popular social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. The user may be duped into thinking the platform is legitimate and may share his financial information or make a payment.

UPI and Gift Card Scams

Only fraudsters can send fake UPI requests or QR codes in the name of Rakhi gifts. One notable scam falsely promised a Rs 5,000 gift card under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, leading victims to phishing sites from where unauthorized UPI payments were made.

• Many methods can be adopted to avoid cyber crime and fraud while shopping online during the festivals.
• Use trusted websites and apps.
• Shop only from well-known and secure e-commerce websites (like Amazon, Flipkart) or their official apps. 
• Avoid clicking on links in emails, SMS, or WhatsApp messages claiming to offer festive offers. These may be phishing scams.
• Create strong passwords for your online accounts and activate two-factor authentication (2FA).
• Use UPI or Virtual Card instead of Credit/Debit Card.
• Don't pay on public Wi-Fi; use secure networks.
• Do not share OTP or card details with anyone.

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