'Yono App blocked...': Kerala man loses Rs 25,000 from his account in online scam text message

A 79-year-old man from Thalassery lost Rs 25,000 from a normal text message that appeared on his mobile in the name of SBI Yono.  Online and financial scams are on the rise in India, with many people falling victim to these sophisticated schemes all around the nation.

Kannur: Online and financial scams are on the rise in India, with many people falling victim to these sophisticated schemes all around the nation. The officials warned the people not to share OTPs or click on links if someone called or texted. Sadly, many people still get tricked by fake duplicates that look like the real thing. The most recent case of such a scam happened in Kannur.

A 79-year-old man from Thalassery lost Rs 25,000 from a normal text message that appeared on his mobile in the name of SBI Yono. The text message asked the user to update his PAN card as the Yono App was blocked. The man clicked on the link. The site looks exactly like the official website. The site asked for OTP while logging in. After logging in, he lost his money from the account. The Thalassery police have registered the case and started an investigation.

The bank authorities always remind their customers to never share their OTP, as the bank never asks for such information for login. Still, many people share the OTP without thinking. The scammers ask the OTP for KYC updates, ATM card blocks, etc. 

Meanwhile, the Indian government has responded decisively to this rising threat by barring 70 lakh cellphones that are allegedly connected to financial fraud or cybercrime. This action is consistent with other proactive measures the government is thinking of doing to reduce fraud. The IMEI, a mobile device's unique identification, is being blocked as part of these attempts, and withdrawals from accounts marked as suspicious are restricted. The intention is to stop them from being used fraudulently in the future.

Furthermore, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is also updating its Do Not Disturb (DND) app. The goal is to tackle persistent spam calls and messages. By March 2024, the updated DND app aims to be compatible with all devices, providing users with a more effective tool to report spam calls.