𝐁𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞

…𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒂𝒘 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑶𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒔 𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒔

By Ngawang Jamphel

In response to a concerning surge in financial scams targeting Bhutanese citizens, the Department of Law and Order under the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a strong warning via its official Facebook page. As visa applications have surged lately, scammers are taking advantage of this trend to target unsuspecting individuals, using advanced tactics to execute their fraudulent schemes.

The modus operandi of these scammers is alarmingly systematic. Firstly, they initiate contact by downloading online banking applications onto their mobile devices. Subsequently, they make deceptive calls to potential victims, posing as representatives from visa offices. During these calls, they cunningly extract sensitive information such as citizenship identity card numbers and bank account details from their targets.

With this obtained information, the scammers proceed to register the victim’s mobile banking applications, such as mBoB or Mpay, on their own devices. This registration is facilitated by generating One-Time Passwords (OTPs) through certain features. The banking system then automatically dispatches OTP numbers via SMS to the victims. Exploiting the trust of their victims, the scammers call again, requesting the OTP numbers under false pretenses. Unfortunately, many victims inadvertently divulge these OTPs, enabling the scammers to swiftly execute unauthorized fund transfers to their own accounts.

Recently, a woman who chose not to disclose her identity revealed that she received a call from a fraudulent agent claiming to need her bank details to proceed with her visa application. Initially, she believed it could be the agency assisting her with the visa process. However, she later realized that the legitimate agency had not contacted her for such information. Unfortunately, she fell victim to the scam and lost Nu. 8000 from her account.

Sonam Eden, a victim of such a scam, shared her experience. “I was thrilled when I received a message on my WeChat account informing me that I had won US$500 in a giveaway,” she recounted. “They instructed me to provide my Bank of Bhutan (BoB) account details to claim the reward, which I promptly did. They then guided me through a series of steps, claiming it was necessary to complete the process. However, to my dismay, I later discovered that I had been deceived. They had drained my account, leaving me with nothing but regret and a loss of Nu. 10,500,” lamented Sonam.

Reflecting on his past encounter with scams, Mon Bhadur Rai stated, “I never respond to such messages anymore, as my account was hacked a few months ago. Fortunately, I didn’t lose any money, but I did lose access to my Facebook account, which I had been using for the past seven years.”

Moreover, these fraudulent actors employ additional tactics to ensnare their victims. In addition to posing as visa office representatives, they fabricate claims of affiliation with telecom companies and offer fictitious lottery prizes. Victims are duped into providing personal details under the guise of claiming these prizes. Furthermore, some scammers impersonate bank officials or promote fraudulent investment schemes involving counterfeit virtual assets such as Tallwin and Qnet.

To combat the prevalence of these scams and shield citizens from financial harm, the Department of Law and Order advocates for several precautionary measures. Firstly, citizens are strongly urged to refrain from sharing OTP numbers with anyone, including individuals purporting to represent banks or telecom companies, as legitimate entities would never solicit this information. Setting transaction limits to the minimum can also mitigate the risk of substantial losses in the event of unauthorized transactions.

Additionally, citizens should exercise caution when encountering links shared by potential scammers, as they may lead to phishing websites designed to extract personal information. Furthermore, skepticism should be exercised towards unsolicited lottery prizes or rewards, as legitimate companies typically do not require personal information upfront for prize distribution. Finally, individuals are advised to steer clear of fraudulent investment schemes involving virtual assets, as they are likely to be scams.

“I believe the scammers specifically target individuals with less education because they may not fully understand the implications of sharing sensitive information like OTPs,” remarked Ugyen Rinzin, a resident of Thimphu. “Moreover, I’ve noticed numerous fake accounts circulating online, featuring videos of people expressing gratitude to scammers for supposed monetary gifts. Frankly, it’s hard to believe such videos are authentic. Who in their right mind would simply give away money for no apparent reason?”

BoB Customer Care spokesperson highlighted the rise in scams due to negligence. On Facebook, accounts advertise products, requesting partial payment before deactivation, leaving victims stranded. BoB urges the public to rigorously scrutinize such accounts to avoid falling victim to fraud. Vigilance and verification of sellers’ credibility are crucial to safeguard against deceitful schemes. BoB emphasizes the need for proactive measures and personal responsibility in navigating online transactions securely.

By remaining vigilant and adhering to these precautionary measures, citizens can fortify themselves against falling victim to financial scams. The Department of Law and Order emphasizes the importance of promptly reporting any suspicious activities for further investigation and action.