How A Google Search Cost A Hyderabad Woman Rs 2 Lakhs

December 06, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

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In August, Prerna (name changed), a program manager at a multinational company in Hyderabad, embarked on what seemed like a routine Google search for a rental car service. She had no idea that a simple click on a search result would lead to a loss of nearly Rs 2 lakhs, a financial blow she is still battling to recover from. Read on!

LEARN WITH BOOM

Have you received automated phone calls that begin with: “Due to the abnormal use of the phone number, your service will be suspended after 2 hours.”

Here are some quick tips on what information you should [not] share:

Tip 1: Find out how many connections are registered in your name

You can find out the number of connections issued in your name on the Sanchar Saathi portal by the Department of Telecommunications. You simply have to enter your mobile number, captcha, and the OTP received on your mobile. You can also report any unnecessary or unauthorised mobile connections.

Tip 2: TRAI'S advisory on mobile number disconnections

In August 2024, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India issued an advisory saying it does not initiate communication with customers regarding mobile number disconnection through messages or otherwise.

Watch this video for more such tips:

EXPLAINED

Hare Krishna To ‘Militant’: How ISKCON Got At The Centre Of Bangladesh Crisis

  • ISKCON faces a crisis in Bangladesh after the arrest of former monk Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges for allegedly disrespecting the national flag.

  • The government has labeled ISKCON a 'religious fundamentalist organisation,' with the High Court leaving the decision about its ban to authorities.

  • ISKCON's use of slogans like "Jai Shree Ram" and its growing influence over recent years has led to accusations of being an "agent of India's intelligence".

So, who is the arrested priest? What really happened in Bangladesh? Snigdhendu Bhattacharya explains.

EXPLAINED

TRAI Denies OTP Delay Claims. Here’s What the New Regulation Means

A viral video falsely claims OTP messages could face delays from 1 December 2024, due to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) new regulations on message traceability. TRAI has clarified that the new traceability guidelines will not affect OTP delivery and will instead enhance messaging security. But what are the TRAI regulations which have given rise to these speculations? Find out in Hera Rizwan’s explainer.

DECODE

How A Google Search Cost A Hyderabad Woman Rs 2 Lakhs

All it takes is a click: A program manager fell victim to a sophisticated SEO poisoning scam while searching for a rental car service.

SEO poisoning: Cybercriminals manipulate search engine algorithms to push harmful websites to the top of search results.

First red flag: It started with the download of an APK file. The scam revealed itself during what should have been a simple Rs 150 booking confirmation. “I was redirected to Razorpay, and it seemed like a legitimate payment gateway,” Prerna said, “I entered my credit card details and waited for the OTP to confirm the transaction. But it never came.”

Illusion of consent: And after this, began a series of OTPs. “It felt like they were trying to leave behind a trail to create the illusion of my consent, as if I willingly shared the OTPs, even though I hadn't agreed to those amounts,” she told Hera Rizwan.

'FAKE NEWS’ YOU ALMOST FELL FOR

🔍 Several news outlets including News18, Zee News, Times Now Navbharat misreported a scripted video made by a content creator to falsely claim that a 24-year-old woman married her 50-year-old father in a traditional temple ceremony, challenging societal norms. Read 🔗 Srijit Das’ ↗️ fact-check.

🔍 Hours before Bangladesh monk Chinmoy Krishna Das' bail in Chattogram court was scheduled to be heard on December 3, ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das posted a photograph on X of a man lying on a hospital bed with a misleading caption. Das identified the man as an advocate Ramen Roy and claimed that he was brutally attacked and his house was ransacked by 'Islamists' for being the defense counsel of Hindu leader Chinmoy Das. 🔗 Swasti Chatterjee ↗️ debunked the claim.

🔍 A gruesome video of a bull being shot in the head went viral on social media with a false claim that it shows Kerala Congress media in-charge Mohammed Mujahid Islam killing a cow to celebrate Priyanka Gandhi's victory in Wayanad. Read 🔗 Shefali Srivastava’s ↗️ fact-check.

🅱️ RECOMMENDS

This week's recommendation is: Feeling Outraged? Think Twice Before Hitting “Share.”

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