Hyderabad: Bank and government related phone call scams are on the rise, and fraudsters are making use of interactive voice response (IVR) telephony to imitate government offices. Such scams are of a growing concern to authorities and consumers.
With IVR technology, fraudsters can create untrue voice response systems and replicate the lines used by government institutions. When people get these calls, they hear the formal recorded message which is very similar to the calls from a genuine government office. Such systems can also guide callers to not just data scams but also financial scams.
Many people are receiving voice phishing calls, also known as vishing calls. One common tactic involves scammers claiming to be from the tax office. They inform the victim that they owe a large sum of money in unpaid taxes, which they must pay immediately in order to avoid heavy penalties. The victims are then directed to provide personal information or transfer funds to a specified account. In many cases, these fake calls create a sense of urgency, frightening people into complying without taking time to verify the legitimacy of the call.
Another method involves scammers posing as government representatives. They may ask for personal details under the guise of updating records or resolving issues, which are then used for identity theft or other fraudulent activities.
Security experts urge citizens to be more careful and skeptical when answering calls from strangers, who say they work for different departments of the government. People should never share personal information or make payments without confirming the caller's identity, they said.
