New Delhi:
A former United Nations (United Nations) official has warned people against a new time password (OTP) scam and urged their contacts not to entertain any request for money from their number.
In a post on X, former United Nations Assistant General Secretary Laxmi Puri said that she received a phone call from a saved number and the caller asked her to share an OTP, which they were sent in contact with him “accidentally”.
The moment he shared the OTP, his WhatsApp stopped working and many contacts on his phone started receiving calls to ask for money from his number.
“I received a call from a number saved on my device yesterday evening. Since the person was known to me and requested an OTP, which he said that he had accidentally sent it to my number, I had given it to him. After this, my WhatsApp stopped working and some people started receiving calls from my number,” said the former Indian state.
Ms. Puri has asked her friends and acquaintances not to respond to any such calls or requests to send money from their number. He wrote, “This is to caution all my friends and acquaintances, who have been saved on my phone so that any such calls or demands of money can not be responded to.
The victim has filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime Department of Delhi Police. He said, “The case has been informed to the Department of Cyber Crime of @Delhipolice and will soon be resolved,” he finished his post.
I received a call from the number saved on my device last evening. Since the person was known to me and he requested an OTP that he said that he accidentally sent me to my number which I had given him. After this my WhatsApp stopped working and some people in my contacts…
– Lakshmi M Puri (@lakshmiunwomen) 2 May, 2025
In the new scam, Ms. Puri hunted the authorities to warn people to merge people who come within months of warning people against the fraudsters and inadvertently shared OTPs. The Integrated Payment Interface (UPI) on your X account warns users, “Scammers are using merging to trick you to reveal OTP. Do not fall for it! Be alert and protect your money.”
Scammers are using call merging so that you can reveal the OTP. Do not fall for this! Be cautious and protect your money. , Share this post to spread awareness!#UPI #Cyber security #FraudPreVation #stay safe #Onlinefraudawareness #SecurePayments pic.twitter.com/kz3tmbyvag
– UPI (@UPI_NPCI) 14 February, 2025
According to officials, the OTP scam, usually calls a person with a scammer and says he has received his number from a friend. Then they request you to merge the call with a “friend” calling from a different number.
As soon as you merge the call, they are inadvertently associated with an OTP verification call from their bank. The scammer then manipulates the victim to share OTP with them. Once they do this, the fraudsters fulfill the transaction and steal your money.
According to a survey conducted in January, more than a third of Indians have fallen victim to real -time payment scams.
