If you get any pop-up to download an app called ‘Any Desk’ to your mobile from Play store or App store, beware. It could be a fraud to rob you off your financial information and then funds.
In an alert sent to banks, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has warned that a new modus operandi to commit fraud on digital payment ecosystems has been noticed and fraudulent transactions using Unified Payment Interface (UPI) are increasing.
Fraudsters would lure victims to download the ‘AnyDesk’ app using some pretext. A nine-digit app code will be generated on user’s device which the fraudster would ask the victim to share and this would will be followed by request to grant permissions. Once done, victim’s mobile is virtually in the hands of fraudster with the all key data.
In no time, the victim’s money is gone from a transaction from their own device!
“The modus operandi can be used to carry out transactions through any mobile banking and payment related app including UPO, wallets etc.,” RBI said while asking banks to take steps to create customer awareness to minimise/eliminate frauds.
On the rise
The mobile-based transactions on the UPI platform have been witnessing surge in 2018.
As per National Payment Corporation of India data, the total value of transactions during 2018 had gone up to ₹5.79 lakh crore as against ₹56,670 crore in 2017.
The amount transacted through the UPI platform witnessed a growth of more than 10 times, with the number of transactions increasing eight times in 2018 over the previous year.
Post- demonetisation, increase in availability and use of affordable smartphones, among others, are driving growth in the UPI based transaction in both value and volume, say bankers. As on December 2018, 129 banks went live on the UPI platform as against 68 the previous year.