{
  "id": 11179089,
  "title": "Fake Number Fraud: Don’t Let Scammers Steal Your Money",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/fake-number-fraud-dont-let-scammers-steal-your-money",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-01T11:41:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/in-collaboration/fake-number-fraud-dont-let-scammers-steal-your-money-10902431/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fake Number Fraud is a scam where criminals create fake websites and listings with false customer service numbers that mimic official ones. These numbers appear in search results when people look up support contacts for banks, e-commerce sites, couriers or other services. Fraudsters may also share these numbers on social media, forums and other platforms. When you call the number, you are connected to someone pretending to be an official representative. They may ask you for sensitive data, OTPs, transaction approvals or remote access to your device. This can lead to financial loss, as you initiated the call assuming the institution was legitimate. Warning signs include bogus customer care numbers in search results, suspicious links and requests for personal banking details. To stay safe, verify contact information directly from the company's official website or app, avoid sharing PINs, OTPs or passwords, and do not act under pressure. Report any suspicious calls, messages or emails through the appropriate channels.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Criminals create fake websites with false customer service numbers.",
    "Calling these numbers connects you to scammers posing as representatives.",
    "Verify contact info directly from official company sources to stay safe."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}