.jpg?20260527')
I am writing to raise awareness about the growing danger of online scams after narrowly escaping becoming a victim myself only a few days ago. What frightened me most was not only how convincing the scammer sounded, but how close I came to handing over sensitive banking information before realising something was wrong.
I received a phone call from a person claiming to represent my bank. The caller spoke confidently, knew my name and informed me that my credit card needed an urgent ‘system update’ to avoid temporary suspension. The explanation sounded believable because many banks nowadays contact customers regarding card renewals, security upgrades and digital verification processes.
The caller then asked me to confirm certain details supposedly for verification purposes. At first, I hesitated, but the individual sounded professional and polite. He even warned me about ‘rising fraud activity’ and claimed the bank was helping customers secure their accounts. Looking back, I realise this was a tactic to gain my trust.
Gradually, I found myself giving away more information than I should have. Thankfully, the turning point came when the caller asked me to provide the One-Time Password (OTP) sent to my phone.
That was the moment alarm bells rang in my mind. Banks repeatedly warn customers never to share OTPs under any circumstances. I suddenly realised that no legitimate bank employee would ever ask for such information over the phone.
Without saying another word, I immediately hung up and contacted my bank directly through the official customer service number.
The bank confirmed that the call was fraudulent and advised me to block my card temporarily as a precaution. I was fortunate to realise the danger just in time. Had I shared that OTP, my account could have been emptied within minutes.
What worries me even more is that I later discovered several friends had experienced similar scams recently. One friend received a fake message claiming his BenefitPay account would be suspended unless he clicked a suspicious link.
Another nearly lost money after someone impersonated a delivery company and requested payment details for a non-existent package. A colleague’s elderly father was tricked into revealing debit card information after receiving a call supposedly from a telecom provider offering a refund.
These incidents show that scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and are targeting ordinary residents. They exploit fear, urgency and trust to manipulate people into making quick decisions.
Banks, telecom companies, schools, and media outlets should continue educating people about common fraud tactics. Elderly individuals, in particular, are especially vulnerable and need guidance on how to identify suspicious calls and messages.
I hope my experience serves as a warning to others before more people become victims of these criminals.
Shejith Vasudev
&uuid=(email))