Yesterday, I clicked on a PNB Credit Card ad on Instagram and provided my contact details through the form that opened. The very next day, i.e., this morning, a person called me from a private number and told me that he was from PNB and that he was calling in connection with a recent PNB CC application of mine. He said that I would need to provide details of my Aadhar and PAN to complete my CC application. I believed him thinking that if he wasn’t from the bank there was no way he would know that I had recently applied. So I agreed to provide the details. Next, he said I would receive an SMS containing a link from the bank to do VKYC. I got the message but it was again from a private number. I didnt think much about it at the time because I wanted to complete it as soon as possible and get back to the work I was doing. So, I opened the link and we got on a Google Meet conference during which he asked me share my phone’s screen and take photos of myself, my aadhar and PAN card using my phone’s camera app. He also asked me to take a picture of one of my existing CCs to increase the chances of approval. I did that too.
It was only well after we had gotten off the google meet conference that it dawned on me that I might have been scammed. In all of the VKYCs that I have done so far, except for this one, I could see the bank rep’s faces. Moreover, I havent received any communication from PNB regarding my application even after many hours have passed.
So, what I'm thinking now is that the scammer could use my documents to apply for a PNB credit card, using his own phone number and have it delivered to his address. I wouldn't be aware of it, and so, wouldn’t act to block it. He would use the card until it reaches its limit and then discard it without paying the bill.
My question to you all is, if the guy was indeed a scammer, is there a real possibility of him getting a card issued to him using my documents? Why would PNB share a potential customer’s number with a person who isnt an employee? I had never applied for a PNB CC before and so I had never received a call from anyone before claiming to be a rep from PNB. If not from the bank where else would he get my number from?
UPDATE: I found out from the internet that Instagram maintains a record of the ads that a particular user have interacted with, and this record can be accessed through the app's settings. I checked that record and now that ad is gone from that list. All other ads I have ever clicked on, right from the first time I used Instagram, are there along with the dates.
