On the basis of this, the fraudster is able to link/register your mobile number/account with UPI on his own mobile device. The fraudsters also forward one SMS to you and advise you to forward it to a specific mobile number from your phone. Further, mobile banking credentials and PIN are stolen from you and the fraudster can now choose to carry out financial transactions from your mobile app. Once granted, the fraudster is now in control of your mobile device.

Then the fraudster will further ask you to grant him certain permissions. You may receive a phone call from a fraudster, who will claim to be a representative from a tech company/bank offering to fix issues in your smartphone or mobile banking apps.The fraudster will then ask you to download a mobile app like ‘AnyDesk’ from Play store or App Store, which can provide him with remote access to your mobile. In its official mailer, the HDFC Bank has detailed how the fraudsters lure victims. In February, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had also said that AnyDesk is capable of acquiring full access to your smartphone and would let fraudsters carry out banking transactions remotely.

Do not share your card details / OTP / PIN with anyone and report any unusual activity immediately to the bank.” In messages shared with customers, HDFC Bank said, “Beware! Fraudsters may ask you to download AnyDesk App and share a 9-digit code which gets them access to your phone to steal money.

AnyDesk is an application for smartphones, including Google's Android platform, which allows remote control of devices. Apps like AnyDesk help fraudsters to gain unauthorized access to a victim’s mobile device and carry out transactions, not authorised by the bank account holder otherwise. HDFC Bank Ltd has warned its internet banking users about an app called AnyDesk which is being used by fraudsters to steal customers’ money through the unified payments interface (UPI).

Anydesk app play store