If you are buying your next order from Flipkart and have witnessed any Pay Later option, then you must be aware of this scam which may turn your retail therapy into a lifelong stress due to money loss! As Diwali is approaching, users are buying several products online to get massive discounts during this festive season sale. Amongst the pool of exciting deals and offers, fraudsters are prying for the potential victim to steal money out of your bank.
No, the e-commerce giant Flipkart is not behind this scam, instead scammers are taking advantage of the situation and pulling the “Pay Later” scam in the name of Flipkart. Before we know about the scam, know that Flipkart’s Pay Later is an actual credit option which lets you buy products for now and lets you pay for it later. This works just like the Credit cards. Undoubtedly, the feature is great for online shopping. However, fraudsters are taking advantage of it. Here’s how.
Flipkart Pay Later Scam
How is it working? Scammers while posing as Flipkart agents contact potential victims who use the Flipkart Pay Later feature to scare them that someone is trying to access their account. In the moment of urgency and fear, scammers ask them to dial certain numbers on their phones to keep them safe. Later, the scammer further asks them to share an OTP sent to their phone while boosting the fear amongst them. And here is when a scam takes place. Once you share the OTP, the scammer may take access to your phone or steal money out of your bank.
This is the deal breaker to be safe from such scams. No matter what, you should never share the OTP with anyone else. Here’s how to identify if it is a scam or not.
How To Protect Yourself From Potential Scam
You, your family, your friends or anyone else can fall for such scams. It is crucial to be aware of such scams and take necessary precautions.
- If you get any such call or message and find it to be suspicious then you should stop engaging with them. If someone claims to be from any reputed company, it is better to always connect with official channels via their email or contact number instead of relying on a suspicious call.
- An official call or message will never ask for the OTP. Hence you should always refrain from sharing it.
- An important way of understanding if it is a scam or not is the sense of urgency! A scam call will always try to bring up some matter which will create urgency and fear in you. All you need to do is take a moment and understand if it can be real or just a scam.
- A scammer will always hesitate to share the real identity of himself. Always cross-check if the person that you are calling is actually from the claimed organisation or not.
- Report the scam. This is as crucial as be aware of the scam.
