Be smart, don’t let conmen feed off your pandemic fear

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A message is going around on social media platforms, warning citizens against an Omicron fraud scheme. What this means is that citizens across are getting a call, from a conman.

He advises them that since they have taken both vaccines, they can now take the precaution (booster) dose for free. They are advised to fill in details, an OTP will be given to them, and then, predictably, one can expect money will be deducted from the bank account. The warning voice note urges people not to fall for this scam, there is no free Omicron vaccine as of now. It says senior citizens need to be especially vigilant.

We once again witness a pattern, about fraudsters tailoring their con schemes according to current events. With the Omicron fear and precaution doses starting for over 60s, it is natural that this demographic and this situation becomes the hook for charlatans.

They will then use this as bait. Senior citizens, many of them, may be quite out of depth in the online world and there is a fear that they may fall prey to this.
There is also like these times have proved some intimidation for many seniors as they are forced to negotiate an online space, one that they have not done so previously, and they may fall into these traps.

As the precautionary dose for frontline and seniors began on Monday, we will witness such nefarious designs gathering steam. Cyber crime has reached new highs during the outbreak and we have to be extremely wary.

Let us help our seniors many of who needed help during the earlier vaccine doses, to book their appointments on the app. A trustworthy, tech enabled friend can do so for them, instead of being indifferent or irritable and telling them to figure it out on their own.