Wait a minute... Tax refund from the RBI? Credit card details for a refund? If these questions didn't crop up in your mind, you may have fallen victim to Net fraud. The RBI or the Income Tax Department never ask for your PIN, passwords or credit card details. So, the next time you see such a mail, press the delete button.

Apart from such fake mails from the RBI and IT Department, Netizens regularly receive mails that tell them about jackpot prizes they have won and ask for bank or credit card details to transfer millions. There are also mails from people stranded abroad while on a holiday and in urgent need of money. "In the faceless, new era of banking, a customer's identification is done through his user ID and password. This has brought new vulnerabilities as anybody who possesses these can transact on his behalf," says RVS Sridhar, president, IT & RBO, Axis Bank.

Frauds in India

The most common Net attacks are phishing (fraudulent e-mails) and vishing (fake voice messages and phone calls), data leaks while a card is inserted or swiped on a machine and copying of the personal identification number (PIN). "In India, data loss through cyber attacks decreased sharply in 2010, but the total number of breaches was higher than ever. Fraudsters are not attacking a single individual and getting data, but are spreading the attacks. They are using the same attack message and getting multiple data without a lot of effort," says Jelle Niemantsverdrie, principal consultant, forensics and investigative response, EMEA Verizon Business Security Solutions. Click to Apply for Credit Cards Online

Stealing information through counterfiet cards is also rampant. The data on the magnetic strip is electronically copied on to another card and used without the cardholder's knowledge. The modus operandi is very sophisticated. "A magnetic card reader is installed over the card slot, while a surveillance camera observes the user's PIN," says Rakesh Aulaya, PR manager, South Asia Pacific, NCR, an ATM manufacturer. Though this is common while travelling overseas, it can also happen at domestic ATMs.

ATMs are more vulnerable because banks and other intermediaries have been mandated to increase security in other channels, such as online banking and plastic money usage. Says Uttam Nayak, country manager, Visa: "ATMs have poor security at the location and some controls on other platforms are missing."