One call and your entire bank account is wiped clean. Learn how fraudsters are siphoning off your hard-earned money by simply watching your screen. Downloading just one app can empty your UPI wallet, so be careful.
Screen sharing scam
Screen-sharing scams have been on the rise recently, with people losing their entire life savings over a single phone call. This fraud is so clever that even educated and tech-savvy individuals fall prey to it. Let's understand how this scam works and how a single call can empty a bank account.
How does the scam start?
Scammers typically call posing as employees of a bank, customer service, insurance company, or shopping app. Sometimes, the call begins with a search for a fake customer care number that looks like the real number on Google. Scammers use banking-like language and terminology to gain trust and keep the caller from suspecting anything.
In many cases, scammers call under the guise of offering refunds, cashbacks, KYC updates, or refunds for fraudulent subscription charges. Once the person believes they're going to get their money back or a problem is about to be resolved, they tend to believe everything the scammer says.
Screen sharing app entry
This is where the real game begins. The scammer asks the person to download a screen-sharing app like AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or Quick Support. They claim that sharing the screen is necessary to fix the problem or process a refund. These apps are originally designed for office meetings or technical support, but scammers misuse them. Once the app is downloaded and a code is generated, and the person shares it with the scammer, the scammer can view the entire phone screen.
UPI PIN and OTP become weapons
After the screen is shared, the scammer tells the person that they need to approve a small UPI request or fill out a form in an app to receive a refund. This request is actually for a transfer, not a refund. Since the scammer already has their screen visible, they can see the person's UPI PIN as soon as they enter it.
The account gets emptied in a few seconds.
Once the UPI PIN or OTP is in the hands of the scammer, they withdraw money from the account by making multiple transactions in a matter of seconds. Because screen sharing is active, the scammer also knows the balance in the account and where the money can be transferred. In most cases, the victim remains unaware until they receive messages from their bank about the money being deducted.
