A shocking cybercrime has allegedly cost a teenager his life after he unwittingly lost money belonging to his father while playing with his mother’s phone, bringing to light yet another shocking cybercrime that instantly turned from being innocuous to a tragedy. It has been revealed that a teenager from Nalasopara, Mumbai died after falling victim to a cyber fraud. The teen took the extreme step as he was reportedly unwilling to let his parents know what had happened. According to a ToI report, the teenager was duped out of Rs. 2 lakh during an online fraud last Wednesday.
What really happened
The 18-year-old, while playing with his mother’s smartphone, may have been checking out messages there and could have clicked on a message that had a fake link in it. Thereafter, as much as Rs. 2 lakh vanished from his father’s bank account. The same was confirmed by a bank SMS indicating the withdrawal of funds.
However, this transaction did not come to the notice of his parents, but knowing that they would eventually find out the huge loss of money, the teenager reportedly ingested pesticide. When his mother noticed froth emanating from his mouth, she rushed him to a hospital, but he could not be saved.
The police have indicated the possibility of a cyber fraud and they are investigating the case.
How to avoid online fraud
1. Phishing: You may be getting numerous emails or messages claiming your account is compromised, or even offering amazing rewards. These are tricks used by cybercriminals to make people reveal their passwords and also to click on malicious links that take them to fake websites.
2. Watch where you access the Internet: Do not carry out any online banking or financial transactions over public Wi-Fi networks as cybercriminals are present there. It is very easy for hackers to intercept your data there.
3. Keep Smartphone OS Updated: Always make sure you have the latest software update rolled out by the company on your mobile. You must regularly update your operating system, antivirus software, and banking apps. The reason is that the phone maker will ensure your smartphone is updated to combat even the latest threats.
4. Fake Links: Never click on links or attachments sent to you by strangers. These tricks are used to download malware on your phone to steal your financial information.
5. Never share usernames, passwords with anyone: Passwords, PINs, or account numbers must never be revealed to anyone and these should also not be sent through email, phone calls, or text messages.
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