Scammers now targeting pensioners with a new Life Certificate fraud; Lucknow Police issues advisory

The Lucknow Police Cyber Crime Cell in Hazratganj has issued an urgent advisory to raise awareness about a new online scam targeting elderly pensioners. This fraud, disguised as a "Life Certificate Verification" process, aims to steal highly personal and financial information from pensioners.

Here's what the advisory states:

• Scammers are contacting pensioners, posing as helpers for updating life certificates online. They trick victims into sharing sensitive details like pension account numbers, DOB, bank and Aadhaar information, and then request an OTP for verification to access their accounts.

• Once the OTP is provided, the scammers gain unauthorized access to the victim’s pension account and transfer the funds to fraudulent accounts.

• The Cyber Crime Cell has urged pensioners to exercise extreme caution and avoid sharing any personal information, especially OTPs, during phone conversations.

• The advisory also clarified that official personnel from the pension office will never request personal details such as bank account numbers or OTPs over the phone.

• Furthermore, pensioners who have unknowingly shared their details are advised to immediately visit their nearest pension office to prevent any potential financial loss.