Festive season might bring deals, celebrations and shopping sprees - but it also brings a 40–50% jump in scams. Hosts Brijesh Singh and Utkarshica Srivastava uncover how scammers take advantage of Diwali-to-Christmas excitement to drain your money.

With real cases including the ₹1.3 lakh Mithaiwala scam, fake travel sites that vanish after 36 hours, cloned sari ads, counterfeit Diwali gift links, and mall “GST-only” iPhone bait, they explain how scammers manipulate FOMO, urgency, and your data trail.

If you or someone you know is shopping, gifting, travelling or posting festive content online, this episode is your guide to spotting red flags before your money, ID or phone is compromised.

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ABOUT MAN VS SCAM

The world wild web of cyber scams is highly sophisticated, hyper-personalised and everywhere! So how to go about life now? Since, let's face it, cyber scams are here to stay & evolve. Man Vs Scam is your no-frills, unfiltered podcast on cyber scams in India and guide for individuals to navigate this maze. We discuss scams that made the news, scams under the radar, recovery operations, and safety measures - and encourage victims sharing stories and coping techniques.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cybersecurity experts Brijesh Singh and Utkarshica Srivastava expose how modern trading scams work—slick enough to fool even seasoned investors. From pump-and-dump stock plays and Ponzi-style chains to fake trading apps that clone real platforms, today’s financial frauds look more legit than ever. Using real cases like the ₹3 crore Delhi Telegram scam and Mangalore’s fake NSC/BSE-registered app fraud, they unpack how scammers bait you with bots, fake “relationship managers,” and initial small withdrawals before shutting down with your life savings. You’ll hear why FOMO is a scammer’s best weapon, how influencers (sometimes unknowingly) amplify fraud, why APK sideloading and AnyDesk installs are flashing red flags, and what recovery steps actually work—dialing 1930 Cybercrime Helpline, reporting at cybercrime.gov.in, or going via the banking ombudsman. If you or someone you know is tempted by “guaranteed returns” on WhatsApp or Telegram, this episode is your playbook for spotting the tricks before your money vanishes.

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LinkedIn: IVM Podcasts

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ABOUT MAN VS SCAM

The world wild web of cyber scams is highly sophisticated, hyper-personalised and everywhere! So how to go about life now? Since, let's face it, cyber scams are here to stay & evolve. Man Vs Scam is your no-frills, unfiltered podcast on cyber scams in India and guide for individuals to navigate this maze. We discuss scams that made the news, scams under the radar, recovery operations, and safety measures—and encourage victims sharing stories and coping techniques.

#ManVsScam #TradingScams #FinancialFraud #PumpAndDump #PonziSchemes #FakeTradingApps #Cybercrime #OnlineFraud #MoneyScams #ScamAwareness

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Cybersecurity experts Utkarshica Srivastava and Brijesh Singh unpack how disinformation really works - from ancient playbooks (think the Ashwathama “trusted source” trick) to modern hybrid warfare that floods your feeds with deepfakes, doctored “victory” clips, and weaponized WhatsApp/Telegram forwards. Using the Pahalgam attack aftermath as a case study, they trace how scammers piggyback on national emotion with fake relief funds, bogus recruitments, and malware-laced links disguised as breaking news. You’ll hear how a deepfake of a “finance minister” went viral, why platforms struggle to keep up, what PIB/fact-checkers can and can’t do, and the simple habits that actually stop the spread—verify the source and date, reverse-search visuals, don’t click unknown links, and prebunk (prime your family’s BS detector) before you ever need to debunk. If you care about truth, safety, or just not getting played, this episode is your quick, practical guide to spotting and stopping disinformation—share it with that one friend who forwards everything.

FOLLOW IVM PODCASTS ON SOCIAL

Instagram: @IVMPodcasts

X (Twitter): @IVMPodcasts

LinkedIn: IVM Podcasts

Facebook: IVM Podcasts

ABOUT MAN VS SCAM

The world wild web of cyber scams is highly sophisticated, hyper-personalised and everywhere! So how to go about life now? Since, let's face it, cyber scams are here to stay & evolve. Man Vs Scam is your no-frills, unfiltered podcast on cyber scams in India and guide for individuals to navigate this maze. We discuss scams that made the news, scams under the radar, recovery operations, and safety measures and encourage victims sharing stories and talk about coping techniques.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.