October 6, 2024, 3:59 PM IST
Fraudsters use WhatsApp to send fake forms to pensioners and then claim that if these forms are not filled in, their pension payments will be stopped
Pensioners in India are increasingly being targeted by fraudsters claiming to be from the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) in New Delhi, according to the Financial Express report.
Their modus operandi involved using WhatsApp to send fake forms to pensioners and then claiming that if those forms were not filled in, their pension payments would be stopped.
The forms are designed to trick retirees into sharing sensitive personal information that fraudsters can use to commit identity theft as well as cause financial loss to victims.
How to protect pensioners from such scammers?
It is important not only for pensioners but for everyone to understand that government agencies never ask for personal information like PPO numbers or bank account details through calls, WhatsApp or other unofficial channels.
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Pensioners should therefore immediately contact the CPAO or the bank directly, using only publicly available known official contact details and never those from the suspicious messages.
It is also important to report the attempted fraud to the appropriate authorities immediately. This will help prevent others from falling into the trap as well.
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