Pause. Prevent. Protect.

I got a call from someone who said he was a ‘Senior Wealth Manager from a reputed investment firm’. He knew my name, city, and said he had an exclusive low-risk, high-return investment scheme only for select clients. He shared a glossy brochure on one of the messaging apps, complete with charts, official logos, and even a proper ID badge. The offer was only valid for 24 hours, and I was told to act quickly to ‘secure my slot’. I was also promised a return of 30% in a month. It sounded too good, but I didn’t want to miss out. I transferred ₹1 lakh. After that, there was complete silence. Calls stopped, the number was switched off, and the website I was given disappeared. I realised I’d been scammed by professionals who knew exactly how to pressure and mislead people like me.

I was home alone when I got a video call from a man in a police uniform. He showed me what looked like a legal document and said I was involved in a money laundering case. I panicked. He told me to stay on the call and not inform anyone. Then he said I had to pay ₹45,000 to 'settle' things or I would be arrested. I transferred the money out of fear. I only realised it was fake and had been scammed.

It started with what seemed like a helpful call from my bank. The caller said I had to update my KYC, or my account would be frozen. He already had my name and part of my account number. He sent me a link and asked me to enter my Aadhaar and share an OTP. I didn't question it; it all sounded routine. But a few minutes later, money started disappearing from my account. That's when I realised the link was fake, and I had just handed a scammer the keys to my bank account.

I was working when my computer screen suddenly froze and displayed a warning message. It took me a minute to actually figure out what was happening. The warning message said that my PC was infected with a critical virus and all my data would be lost. It also displayed a support number, so I decided to call. The person on the call knew exactly how my laptop behaved and said he needed remote access to fix the issue. I allowed it, and he showed me a few issues in my system and then said I needed to pay ₹10,000 for an 'antivirus license'. I paid, and my computer went back to normal. After a few days, my bank called about suspicious transactions. It was a scam to access my data, and I lost significant money.

I received an SMS saying my Aadhaar had been used to activate a new SIM card. A few seconds later, a caller said he was from my telecom company, and there had been an error. He asked me to share the OTP so that I could cancel the request. I didn't think twice. But soon after, my phone signal vanished—and so did my access to my bank account. The scammer had taken over my number, reset my banking passwords, and emptied my account.

I came across an advertisement for the headphones I wanted to buy at 70% off. The retailer seemed new, but the site displayed good customer reviews. They only accepted bank transfers as a payment method. I had my reservations, but the opportunity appeared too good to decline, and I completed the purchase. I even received a proper order confirmation. I waited for weeks, but the headphones never arrived, and shortly after, the merchant's website disappeared entirely.

I received a call from an unknown number. The man on the call said that he was from an insurance company I had purchased a policy from. He knew my name and provided a valid policy number that I cross-checked with my documents, so I believed him. He claimed I had a big bonus waiting, but first, I had to pay ₹25,000 for 'GST and processing'. He made it sound routine and promised I would get it all back, plus the bonus, in two days. I paid the 'fees', but the money never came. I tried calling him back, but his number was no longer in service. I can’t believe he had all my information and used it to trick me.

I couldn't believe my luck when I got an email saying I won an SUV in an online giveaway. I did not remember entering anything, but it looked real, with the brand logos and links to all the official websites. All I had to do was pay a ₹15,000 'refundable tax and delivery charge'. As a new car seemed like a small price, I immediately transferred the money. They confirmed payment and said the car would arrive in a week. It never did, and when I tried to contact them, the email bounced back, and the number was dead.

I was scrolling through social media when I saw a post about a little girl who was seriously ill. There was a painfully heartbreaking photo, a short story about her condition, and a UPI ID asking for urgent help. I felt like I could make a difference. So I transferred ₹5,000 straightaway. But a few days later, I received a warning that scammers were using those photos to con people. I tried to find the post again, but the profile was gone. That’s when I realised I had been scammed. What I thought was help for a sick child just ended up in the wrong hands.

A family member introduced me to an investment opportunity he had discovered, promising consistent 15% monthly profits with complete security. He even showed me his bank statements and said they were exclusive, but he couldn't get me in. It felt safe because he trusted it, and I didn't want to miss out. So, I invested a significant amount. For two months, I got the promised returns. I was happy and put in even more money. Then suddenly, the website went down, the contacts were unreachable, and we lost all the money we invested. Only later did we realise this was a Ponzi scheme.