Credit card bill payment scam

Payment frauds involving credit card bill payments are on the rise. They impact a customer’s experience and trust when transacting digitally. However, with technological advancements and awareness, such frauds can be detected and prevented.

In a credit card bill payment scam, the fraudster lures the victim into making a credit card payment on their account by utilizing the money from the victim’s bank account. Fraudsters make the victims add their credit card details into their account, and then pay off their credit card bills.

The Credit card bill payment scam has many common indicators by which the victim is manipulated.

Common Indicators of a Credit Card Bill Payment Scam

Scenario 1 : Fraudsters portray themselves as Army personnel who require services in the medical, hotel and insurance sector, and once the deal is struck they ask customers to set-up the payment method immediately. Interestingly, in some cases the fraudster impersonating an Army personnel will also be on a video call in an Army uniform in order to gain the customer’s trust. The customers targeted in this scenario are usually business folks.

Scenario 2 : Fraudsters portray themselves as a distant relative/family friend or business professionals and convince customers to add their card details onto the fraudsters account. They also pretend to guide customers through the process on a phone call. Customers targeted in this scenario will mostly be people who do not frequently use PhonePe.

It is worth noting that the entire conversation and the payment happens via a Whatsapp call / video call, and these fraudsters make it look like everything is genuine as they win trust over the user’s trust over several calls.

How to stay safe from Credit Card bill scams:

• Always remember you do not have to ‘Pay’ or enter your UPI pin to receive money on PhonePe. Please read the message displayed on your PhonePe app carefully before hitting ‘Pay’ or entering your UPI PIN.
• Be alert when someone tells you about any new payment “Method/process” and be aware that an Army personnel’s payment system also works the same way as any other payment method in India.

What should you do when contacted by a Fraudster?

• Immediately report the incident to your nearest cyber crime center and lodge an FIR providing the relevant details (Phone number, transaction details, card number, bank account etc.) to the police. Alternatively, you can tap this link — https://cybercrime.gov.in/ or contact the cyber cell police on 1930 to file a cyber complaint online.
• If you were contacted via PhonePe, login to your PhonePe app and go to ‘Help.’ You can report the fraud incident under ‘Account security issue/ Report fraudulent activity.’ Alternatively you can log in to support.phonepe.com.