An App Helping Scammers Hack into Bank Accounts on the Rise in Bengaluru

An app called AnyDesk, utilized by telecallers pretending to be officials from legitimate banks is clearly on the rise in Bengaluru, helping hackers effectively access to the bank accounts of clueless customers.

AnyDesk is said to be a tool that gives remote access to digital devices and can be downloaded from Google Play and App Store. In February this year, the Reserve Bank of India cautioned of a digital banking fraud that utilizes AnyDesk as the main attack route.

Bengaluru cyber police have registered 25 cases over the last two months and as per a senior cybercrime investigator people have lost between Rs 15,000 and Rs 2 lakh subsequent to downloading the application.

The fakes talk about complimentary gifts, coupons and limits to draw their exploited people. “They use these to bait people into sharing their pin, and then access OTPs and credit card and CVV numbers saved on their phones,” he says.

The callers essentially persuade the victim to share their pin saying it is important to enact free insurance or extra credit. OTPs are their greatest weapons as they can be utilized to get to photos and recordings as well as personal data, which is now and then used to compromise and blackmail people, the official says.

“They can also see your chats and get passwords you may have stored on your phone,” the officer says. Reasons given by scam telecallers to extract information from the customers:

1. Your ATM card has expired.
2. Your ATM card needs to be reactivated.
3. Your reward points need to be upgraded.
4. Your reward points can be cashed.
5. Your Aadhar and PAN need to be linked to your ATM card.

And so the banks have warned the people to remain cautious regarding certain parameters like:

1. No bank ever asks you to share your OTP, CVV and Internet banking details over the phone.
2. People calling from banks based in Karnataka first speak in Kannada, and not in Hindi or English. Bank employees don’t ask you to deposit money through Google Pay.
3. Don’t install any app that allows remote access to your phone.