The government of India has warned pensioners about a new scam rising in India. There is a mandatory certificate, Jeevan Pramaan for pensioners to continue their pension payments. The annual deadline for submitting this certificate is approaching and the scammers are taking advantage of that. They are targeting the people who receive pensions by sending them fake messages. In the message, they ask pensioners to update their Jeevan Pramaan and also ask them to share their personal details through a provided link.
If you are a pensioner, read along to know about this scam and also how you can protect yourself from getting scammed. Let’s go!
At first, scammers send WhatsApp texts to pensioners as government officials, claiming that their pensions will stop due to expired Jeevan Pramaan. They send a link or form to fill out, which requires personal details such as bank details and PPO numbers. After that, the panicked individual fills out the form and then they can use that data for identity theft or financial fraud.
Now, you know pretty much everything about the pension scam. To prevent this from happening to you, follow the steps below.
You know pension scammers’ strategy now, so you have to make sure that you don’t click on any suspicious link coming through a text. Next, make sure that you don’t share any such personal details on WhatsApp or anywhere else unless it is a verified platform or personnel.
The government is also emphasising that WhatsApp or any other social media should not be used for the Jeevan Pramaan certificate. A spokesperson for the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) also commented, “These messages are a deliberate attempt to steal personal information and potential financial resources from unsuspecting pensioners.”