Logistics Companies…Jiomart Reliance Digital and Bluedart, Don’t ask for OTP

In the recent days, i came across two instances where the logistics companies used an OTP to get an acknowledgement of delivery. First was the case of Reliance Digital or the Jio Mart. Second was BlueDart.

In both cases after the delivery, an OTP was sent to the customer and he was asked to reveal the OTP to the courier boy so that he would input the OTP from his mobile as confirmation of the delivery.

This goes against the general principle of caution that we try to educate the consumers with, that they should not share OTP with anybody.

If we develop this habit of courier boys asking for OTP, then we will be opening a new channel of fraud where the OTP may actually be sent just in time to carry out some fraud and the consumer may fall a victim.

I therefore request these big companies to stop this practice. They can however have some other way of obtaining the confirmation including the customer himself confirming receipt directly to the company.

If this practice is not stopped these companies will be indirectly responsible for such OTP stealing frauds if any.

Naavi

About Vijayashankar Na

Naavi is a veteran Cyber Law specialist in India and is presently working from Bangalore as an Information Assurance Consultant. Pioneered concepts such as ITA 2008 compliance, Naavi is also the founder of Cyber Law College, a virtual Cyber Law Education institution. He now has been focusing on the projects such as Secure Digital India and Cyber Insurance
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1 Response to Logistics Companies…Jiomart Reliance Digital and Bluedart, Don’t ask for OTP

  1. Atul Saboo says:

    Absolutely. The general consumer is naive and even educated fall victim.
    Ideally it should be the recipient should acknowledge delivery effected. However there is a catch what if the receiver does not confirm receipt of parcel?
    There is split chance that who gives way first – parcel receiver or the delivery person or the delivery person.

    so instead terming it as OTP the code send by sms should be termed “delivery code” hope this would address the issue of misusing the term ‘OTP’

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