Kolkata: In the wake of an increase in insurance-related scams, Kolkata Police has issued an advisory. It warns about scammers calling or sending messages posing as employees or representatives of reputed insurance companies to steal data.
The advisory includes three sections of stop, drop and inform. The insurance scams may involve both medical and vehicle insurance.
The advisory asks people not to click on unknown links or download apps that scammers may suggest over the phone.
Instead, it asks people to report fraudulent activity at the cybercrime helpline at 1930 and the Kolkata Police Cyber Police station at 9836513000.
The modus operandi of the scammers is simple. The moment someone clicks on a phishing link, a website opens resembling the original website of an insurance company, but with a different URL.
The data entered in this lookalike website goes directly to the server maintained by the fraudsters, who then use the information to withdraw money.
The advisory asks citizens not to rush and fill out any form on the website given. Instead, they should look at the original website and the discrepancies would be clear.
In some cases, the fraudsters pose as staff of an insurance company with whom the intended victim has an existing policy. They try to help the victim transfer his existing policies to a fresh policy for better returns.
Another set of fraudsters would call existing policyholders posing as officials of the insurance verification department. Turt would ask for PAN and Aadhar numbers and bank details to complete the verification.
Some others would call the victim and inform him of selection for a loyalty bonus for being a valued customer. They would then ask for details to transfer the bonus directly.
