The festive season is in full swing in India, as Diwali 2024 approaches, and shoppers are flocking to stores and online platforms. Amid this e-commerce sites are rolling out deal after deal to lure customers, offering attractive discounts on electronics like smartphones, including the iPhone 15. While these offers are tempting, there’s a significant risk you should be mindful of—scams. One particular scam is preying on Flipkart users, exploiting the ‘Pay Later’ option to deceive people into revealing their one-time passwords (OTPs) and other sensitive information, as reported by India Today Tech.
For those unfamiliar, Flipkart’s Pay Later is a credit option that allows customers to buy products and pay for them later, similar to a credit card. But the report suggests scammers are using this feature to deceive unsuspecting users into revealing their OTPs.
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Flipkart Pay Later Scam: How Does It Work?
Fear is the primary tactic scammers use to get to you, and this scam is no different. The scammer contacts the victim, claiming that someone is trying to access their Flipkart Pay Later account, creating a sense of urgency and anxiety. Taking advantage of this fear, the scammer, posing as a Flipkart agent, instructs the victim to dial or press certain numbers on their phone to prevent fraud.
The scammer then ups the ante to seem more legitimate by requesting the OTP sent to the victim’s phone. This is how the scam operates, and under no circumstances should you provide anyone with an OTP. India Today Tech reports that one of the staffers did encounter this scam, but they managed to recognise it in time.
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Top Ways To Stay Safe
As a standard practice in cases like this, always verify the caller before proceeding with any instructions. Even then, remember that no legitimate organisation, including Flipkart or any bank, will ever ask for your OTP over the phone. If someone asks for an OTP, it’s a scam. Another way you can be safe is by staying calm and patient. Scammers often rely on fear to pressure victims into revealing sensitive information, like banking passwords or OTPs. They may even try to convince victims to share their screens remotely.
Be cautious and only proceed after understanding the situation. And, if you realise you’re being scammed, report it to the authorities immediately. Reporting scams can help prevent others from falling victim to the same fraudulent activities in the future.
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