It often starts with a phone call:
“Your son has met with an accident. We need money for emergency surgery.”
“Your daughter has been arrested at the airport with a suspicious package. We’re from the Narcotics Bureau. You must cooperate.”
“Your PAN card is going to be blocked. We need to verify your KYC details immediately.”
Or a simple WhatsApp message:
“Guaranteed stock market profits. Click here to join the exclusive group.”
To tech-savvy individuals, these may seem like obvious scams. But for someone in their 60s, home alone, these messages can be terrifying. India is witnessing a surge in online scams, and the primary victims are often our elderly population.
Understanding the Vulnerability of the Elderly
Most victims are not uninformed—they are unguarded. They are in their 50s, 60s, or beyond—retired or planning retirement. Their children may be working in metro cities or abroad, visiting during festivals and holidays. Most have adapted to using smartphones, online banking, and social media and that’s where the cracks begin. They may know how to transfer funds but not how to distinguish a fake bank message from a real one. They may use WhatsApp but not realize that stock tip groups can be elaborate scams. They may trust a friendly voice claiming to be a government official because they grew up respecting authority, not questioning it. More importantly, when a call says something has happened to a child—a car crash, legal trouble, arrest—panic kicks in, and all rational thought shuts down. The scammers know this. They count on it.
Common Tactics Used in Online Scams in India
Today’s scams are methodical, multi-layered, and often impersonate real institutions:
Impersonation: Scammers pose as bank officials, law enforcement, or government representatives to gain trust.
Urgency and Fear: Creating a sense of immediate danger or opportunity to prompt hasty decisions.
Information Extraction: Requesting sensitive information like OTPs, CVV numbers, or personal details under the guise of verification.
Isolation: Keeping victims engaged over calls or messages to prevent them from seeking advice or verifying claims.
How to Stay Safe from Online frauds and Scams
- Pause and Verify: If someone claims your child is in trouble, take a moment. Call your family directly. Do not transfer money until you hear their voice or confirm with another source.
- Never Share Sensitive Information: Banks and government agencies will never ask for OTPs, CVV numbers, or passwords over the phone or via email. If they do, it’s a scam—hang up.
- Be Suspicious of Urgency: “You must act now, or else…” is a psychological trap. Real agencies never talk like that. Scammers do.
- Link Accounts to Your Primary Mobile Number: Ensure all your financial accounts are linked to your current mobile number, not an old number you don’t use or check anymore. Monitor SMS and bank alerts regularly.
- Consult Trusted Sources: Talk to your bank or a trusted financial advisor before acting on any investment “opportunity”—especially those that offer “guaranteed high returns.”
- Report Suspicious Activity: If you receive a call or text that seems suspicious, report it on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Even if you weren’t tricked, your report can protect others.
If your parents are above 55, have these conversations with them. Don’t assume they know—or worse, that it won’t happen to them. Scammers exploit isolation and the sense of being left behind in a fast-paced digital world.
Call them more often. Help them set transaction limits. Ask them to always consult you before transferring large sums. Explain how caller ID spoofing works. Create a family “safe word”—a code or phrase that only close members know, to verify emergencies.
Let’s not allow decades of hard-earned savings to vanish over a 2-minute phone call.
Conclusion
Scams aren’t just about technology—they’re about psychology. Fear, confusion, and urgency are the real weapons of scammers. But we can build immunity—not just with better passwords or stricter laws, but through awareness, empathy, and collective responsibility.
Because it’s not just about saving money.
It’s about protecting dignity, peace of mind, and the legacy of a generation that built the foundation we now stand on.
