Cyber Security is a shared responsibility, and it boils doen to this: in cyber security, the more systems we secure, the more secure we all are.
– Jeh Johnson
The number of online businesses increased during the lockdown. Many women are marketing their businesses using social media. However, whether as a professional or as a consumer, you are assured of a good deal every time
No, there can be cheating too!
The World at large faced lockdown and many people thought that lockdown meant the closure of work, job or business. Many companies have and will continue to do well with working from home. However, the problem arises for those who have lost their job or recently started a start-up. Nowadays many people especially women are starting small home businesses. The Circumstances gave rise to various home businesses like making homemade lunch boxes, making papad pickles, making jewellery or even masks. Handicrafts like making beautiful paintings, making handicraft items etc. were also tried by women as a form of business.
The business has been started but how to se; ll your products in lockdown? It is necessary to advertise for that. In such times the easiest and most free media is social media. Its availability on mobile, affordable prices on the net, and ease of use make online business marketing true. Nonetheless, this is where the real game begins… financial fraud!
Regardless of the business, social media is a medium in which you can take your business to any corner of the world. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or YouTube can be used to promote your business in various ways. Create a page, create a logo and a little business or product design and you’re done! These designs can also be made for free. Put your product information and price on it and send it to people. There are even some social media marketing companies to do all this. However, most of the time many people prefer to do it all by themselves.
What are the benefits of advertising on social media?
1. Irrespective of the business, even two to three hundred people can be easily reached through WhatsApp alone.
2. From Facebook to YouTube, all media are free.
3. With very little technical know-how, a very good online business can be done.
What are the disadvantages of advertising on social media?
A good start, now let’s look at the pros and cons. Social media is not as good as it seems. This is a double-edged sword. There are a lot of fakes on social media. There are countless fake ads and fake customers out there. Many people will ask you for goods after seeing your business ad. Some of them may be true but not all. If you’re a shopper and you see an ad, be careful when buying that item online.
How does cheating happen?
1. If you run a business…
You’ve advertised your business all over social media. By looking at it, you get calls or messages. They want to buy your product, the price is good, give it immediately, they feel great and that’s where the fraud starts.
E.g. Geeta Mehta runs a home business selling purses through various social media platforms and advertisements. Everything has been going well when suddenly she receives a huge order of 500 purses, Mehta being a small-scale businesswoman doesn’t possess such a large amount of stock. However, the buyer insists saying that he won’t mind paying the full bill in advance and receiving the product later. To increase her business, she accepts and the potential buyer sends he a QR code asking her to scan and add a pin so she can receive the amount but the money gets deducted from her accounting while the mobile number is unavailable
QR codes are not the only example. Many apps claim to advertise your business and are quite easily scammed through the same. Everyone wants to grow a business, but no financial transaction should be done without verifying the person standing in front as a ‘digital’ customer.
2. If you are a customer…
There are many advertisements on social media marketing discounts and buy one, get one scheme. Customers are attracted to such schemes and the seller sends them a QR code to make the transaction. The amount paid is the original price and not the discounted one deemed as a mistake by the seller. He sends another QR code with the misinterpretation of a refund but money is deducted from your bank account. This happens a couple of times before you realize the scam. However, the money is lost.
The entire scenario sounds made up however people are robbed similarly on an all-day everyday basis.
What is the solution to all this?
1. Under no circumstances should the QR code be scanned. QR code scan is done only and only during payment. It does not need to be scanned when receiving money; Also no need to enter a PIN.
2. Think ten times before registering your business on an unknown app. One should also inquire if that app or website is reliable.
3. While buying items online, buy from branded websites only.
4. Check first if the website is real or fake. Reputable and established shopping websites should be preferred. However, fake sites are often created by manipulating the name of this URL. So check the spelling. it is important to note that shopping apps available on Play Store are the most reliable.
5. The items that come for sale through WhatsApp groups etc. should be fully confirmed and only then order those items.
6. Many times the money is not fraudulent, but the item is defective or not as shown in the picture. The buyer should be aware while buying to avoid being a victim of product fraud.
What to do in case of fraud?
1. Contact the cyber cell or police immediately after realizing that you have been cheated on.
2. Instead of just writing the form or application, file the complaint properly and also get the acknowledgement of filing the complaint.
3. Contact both the website and the bank through which the financial fraud occurred. Block your banking username and password as well as your card.
4. Informing the bank of such incidents immediately helps in the recovery of lost money.
If we do nothing out of fear over this whole scenario, these cyber thieves will continue to commit crimes in the same manner. Your cyber security is in your own hands. It is more important that we become cyber literate in time, whether as consumers or professionals.
