Digital Life Certificates: SBI Issues Warning Ahead of Annual Life Certificate Submission Deadline

Jeevan Pramaan Patra: An annual life certificate or Jeevan Pramaan Patra is a basic requirement for pensioners to prove that they are alive and continue to receive pension benefits. All pensioners are required to submit a ‘Life Certificate’ or ‘Jeevan Pramaan Patra’ in November to receive monthly pension from the government. The window for submitting life certificates or ‘Jeevan Pramaan Patra’ opened on November 1 and will close on November 30.

Amid the annual rush to provide life certificates, the State Bank of India has warned pensioners about potential calls from scammers. The bank warned against any calls from persons posing as employees of the pension fund and asking for personal information.

Fraudsters may impersonate pension authorities and falsely claim to have access to personal details such as pension orders, bank account information, PAN numbers and Aad numbers.

The bank has warned that fraudsters may also ask for OTP numbers, which could lead to the theft of an individual’s account if it is shared. It is extremely important for pensioners to remain vigilant and not disclose personal information to unknown callers.

The bank said: “Please report suspected fraud using this link: Call 1930 or visit the website to report any financial fraud.”

APK scam

Recently, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) issued an alert about a fraudulent message being circulated about an app called ‘SBI Rewards’, which is part of a scam to dupe users.

PIB has clarified that State Bank of India (SBI) does not send links or APK files through SMS or WhatsApp to redeem the reward. It is extremely important to avoid downloading unfamiliar files or clicking on suspicious links. In the Android ecosystem, users can install third-party mobile apps from the Play Store, which can lead to hackers exploiting users’ devices by tricking them into installing APKs or trojanizing legitimate apps.

SBI posted on social media X: “It has been noticed that scammers are sending APKs and messages via SMS or WhatsApp for exchanging SBI reward points. Please note that SBI will never share links or unwanted APK files through SMS or WhatsApp. Do not click on such links or download unknown files.”

How APK Fraud Is Performed

According to the AU Small Finance Bank website, the APK scam process typically involves the following steps:

Luring victims: Hackers start by convincing people to install malicious APK files on their smartphones. This may include using social engineering techniques to entice victims to download malicious applications.

Installation Process: Once the victim clicks on the APK file, he may see several warning messages warning him about the risks of installing applications from unknown sources. In addition, the victim may notice that the application requests an unusually large number of permissions, such as access to the camera, microphone, location, contacts, SMS, etc.

Granting Access: Once the installation is complete, the hacker gains control of the infected device by establishing a connection from his own hacker device. This access allows the hacker to perform malicious actions on the compromised device.

Precautions

To protect your device from APK scams, follow these important rules:

> Avoid unsecured networks. Refrain from using unsecured Wi-Fi networks or public networks for sensitive transactions or downloads, as hackers often use these networks to intercept data.

> Be careful with third-party apps: Refrain from downloading APK files from unknown sources, especially if it is caused by an unwanted call or message. Stick to reputable sources.

> Install antivirus software: Use reliable antivirus software to identify and prevent malicious files. Be sure to update your software regularly to protect against new threats. Many antivirus apps offer the ability to scan APK files before installation.