As India buzzes with the festive season, online shopping platforms are hosting back-to-back sales, offering users huge discounts on multiple products. Buyers are flocking to e-commerce sites to get great deals. However, while it is hard to resist the excitement of getting your favorite products at low prices, there is also a growing concern that should not be ignored – online scams. Especially during the festive season, cyber criminals become more active and adopt new tactics to trick people and defraud them of their money. One such scam, which is on the rise at the moment, is targeting Flipkart users. In this scam, fraudsters are taking advantage of the name of Flipkart Pay Later option, asking people for OTP and more.

Flipkart’s Pay Later system allows customers to shop on Flipkart with the option to pay later, making it popular among those who want flexibility in their payments. Unfortunately, scammers are now taking advantage of its convenience by manipulating unsuspecting customers through a simple but effective trick – asking for a one-time password.

Even a member of India Today Tech had received such fraudulent calls. During the call, the scammers claimed to be a Flipkart customer service executive. The caller informed him that a suspicious transaction was noticed on his Flipkart Pay Later account. In a hurry to make the situation appear urgent, the caller convinces the India Today member to press certain numbers on his phone to stop the alleged fraudulent activity.

Additionally, the scammer enhances the fraud by asking the victim to share the OTP sent to their phone. But at the same time India Today Tech member issued it as a scam as no authentic company asks for OTP. If shared, it would have allowed these scammers access to the Flipkart account, which could have been further exploited. To confirm, we also contacted Flipkart, which confirmed that this is indeed a scam and the company never asks for sensitive information like OTP on calls.

What makes this scam especially dangerous is its timing. With millions of people engaged in online shopping during festive sales, the chances of overlooking potential dangers are high. The urgency shown by scammers regarding an order or suspicious payment may lead people to take immediate action without taking the time to verify the authenticity of the caller.

protect yourself

Although you can definitely enjoy the festive sales, it is also extremely important to remain cautious. Here are some tips to protect yourself from becoming a victim of this and similar scams:

Never share your OTP: Remember, no legitimate customer care representative of Flipkart will ever ask for your OTP. This is confidential information meant to protect your account, and sharing it with anyone, even someone claiming to be from the company, is a red flag.

Turn off your phone when you receive a suspicious call: If you receive a suspicious call, do not contact it. Instead, hang up the phone immediately and contact Flipkart’s official customer service through the app or website. This ensures that you are speaking to real representatives who can confirm any genuine issues with your account.

Don’t be in a hurry: Scammers often create a sense of urgency to pressure you into making a quick decision. Whether it’s an alleged fraudulent transaction or a time-sensitive offer, always take some time to assess the situation. Scammers rely on panic to bypass your better judgment.

Report Scam: If you have become a victim of a scam or received a suspicious call, immediately report it to Flipkart or the police, so that the authorities can take action and warn others.