Hidden code scam drains bank accounts: Shocking details inside

KARACHI: Be careful as cybercriminals have found a new way to rob mobile phone users and empty their bank accounts.

Cybercriminals bankrupt users by accessing their bank accounts through various methods on mobile phones, including asking for a password or OTP through a call.

However, this method has become outdated now and hackers can access your bank account and empty it within minutes without asking for any password or OTP from you. And all this is done through a simple setting in your mobile phone.

Recently, a new fraud has emerged, in which they do not call the user and ask for a password or OTP under any pretext, but rather the user is secretly preyed upon through his own mobile phone settings without his knowledge.

In this fraud, fraudsters pretend to be bank officials, customer service representatives or delivery boys and call the user on the pretext of any problem.

These people skillfully tell the user the problem and give the impression that a specific code must be dialed from the phone to solve this problem. This code is usually 21# or 401#. Most people fall for their tricks and dial these codes, which actually turns out to be an alarm bell.

As soon as this code is dialed, the user’s calls, messages and OTPs start being secretly forwarded to another number. In this way, the hacker easily gains access to the bank account and the risk of financial loss increases. Apart from this, WhatsApp and other social media accounts can also be targeted.

The most dangerous thing about this method of operation is that this entire process is completed silently and the user does not know anything until the damage is done.

Experts advise users to immediately check their phone’s call forwarding settings. For this, you can dial the specific codes #62# or #21# to find out whether calls are being forwarded to another number or not. If an unknown number appears on the screen, remove it immediately.

If there is a suspicion that call forwarding has been activated on the phone, all forwarding settings can be turned off by using a specific code #002##, which can prevent possible damage.