Many still fall prey to phishing

Experts say one should never share personal information such as OTPs and debit/credit card details

Ordering food online has become commonplace these days, with many preferring to order in over going out to the restaurant.

According to a recent survey by Uber Eats, 48 per cent Indians like to dine-in, surpassing the 34 per cent that prefers dining out. Customers also preferred ordering in on date nights with 36 per cent of all meals ordered at home with spouses/partners, and 19 per cent choosing to spend some ‘me time’ with themselves over a hot meal.

However, a few in the city have had their dinner plans dampened after being scammed when placing their order.

Recently, a 37-year-old woman ended up losing Rs 71,500 while ordering a cake for her daughter’s birthday.

In a similar incident, a techie lost Rs 95,000 after ordering pizza via a food delivery app.

Both of them have become victims of phishing—a fraudulent practice where offenders use emails, calls and messages to induce individuals to reveal personal information such as debit/credit card details and One Time Passwords.

Sunil Kumar, director of Nexiot, a consulting agency that looks at the Internet of Things, says nothing is secure online, although there are multiple layers of protection to ward off scammers.

“Always use sources and apps that you are familiar with. You will get plenty of messages and recommendations to download a new app on your phone. Don’t do it unless you are certain that it’s reliable,” he says.

A common mistake many make is sharing their debit/credit card details and OTP numbers. “No one, not even your bank, will ask for the OTP number. Don’t share your Aadhaar card details with anyone over call,” he warns.

He recommends that people use multiple bank accounts and segregate savings in them, so “in case something goes wrong, you won’t end up losing all your money”.

Even at malls, when shopping, don’t share your bank details. Phishing is a very simple scam that many fall prey to and the only way to avoid this is to be aware, experts recommend.

Sunil adds, “Most likely, the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 will be tabled in the Lok Sabha this week. The bill will create help manage and legally protect the different aspects of one’s digital information.”