Cyber callers eyeing your insurance money? Stay afar

Nowadays, cyber criminals are making constant calls and robbing insurance policy holders of their hard earned money. Lack of awareness in this respect has become a blessing for the digital fraudsters. Never blindly open suspicious email links and always consult customer care centres on receiving any transaction related call. Here're some steps to keep our insurance money safe.

Hyderabad: Cyber crimes are increasing at an alarming rate across the country. Many victims are losing their hard earned lifetime's savings. Absence of enough awareness has become a blessing for the fraudsters. Utmost alertness is required in carrying out sensitive banking transactions. Insurance frauds have been on the rise in recent times, as per reports. Follow all necessary precautionary measures.

Insurance policies rescue families from financial crisis in times of unexpected difficulties. Everyone of us is covered either through a life policy or health or vehicle. The cyber thieves are taking this as a advantage and silently perpetrating their offences. Their modus operandi is to call up policy holders and tell them their policies being in danger of cancellation. They also say fee has to be paid for making a claim.

People receive many email and sms messages as if they are sent by insurance companies. For example, they may send a link and ask the policy holder to pay premium immediately to keep their policy active. Such messages would come one or two months before the expiry of a policy. We must note that an insurance company never sends such links for payments. When such messages are received, we should immediately consult customer care centres.

Many people are taking policies online these days. All policies are mostly in digital format whether taken from insurance advisor or directly from the company concerned. So, maximum caution needs to be taken regarding user ID and passwords of 'demat accounts'. Suspicious email links, malware, keylogging software and spyware help fraudsters to track your login details and get all details about your insurance policies.

Caution is required while using 'free WiFi'. Strong passwords should be used and they should not be shared with anybody. Passwords should be changed frequently. Avoid bank, investment, insurance and such online transactions using free WiFi.

Fraudsters are also cheating relatives of policy holders by telling them that they are nominees and eligible for benefits. They ask for personal and financial information so as to encash total claim amount. The cyber thieves mostly ask for initial partial payment for getting total claim amounts. An insurance company never ask a nominee for such fee. Under such instances, we must directly consult the company concerned.

Callers are making attractive offers like 'enough to pay premium for three years, your money will double'. For any such offers, consult directly insurance company authorised agent, department or customer care centre. We must find out details of what type of policy, its term and premium before taking one. This will help us to keep cyber fraudsters at bay. In case of any such fraud, immediately pass on information to police and send in writing to the company concerned.