Saumya Roy at the EBD for “Bharat Bluff”

Most of us believe we're too careful to get scammed and we know not to click suspicious links, share OTPs, or trust strangers on the internet. We tell ourselves that scams happen to people who aren't familiar with tech or who simply weren't paying attention but, somewhere thats what makes us vulnerable. That was one of the things that came up while speaking with Saumya Roy, author of Bharat Bluff, at the English Book Depot today. 

Published by Roli Books, as she spoke about the book, it became clear that Bharat Bluff isn't just about scams but also about the way they work, why people fall for them, and why none of us are as immune as we'd like to believe. 

One observation she shared was particularly striking that we often assume scams happen only through technology and mostly target older people who aren't digitally savvy but that's no longer true. Today's scams are designed for everyone, a convincing message that appears to come from your bank, a fake investment opportunity, or someone posing as a trusted official, they can happen to anyone, anyone can be deceived. 

Sometimes all it takes is catching someone at the right moment with the right amount of urgency, pressure or trust. And the book, Bharat Bluff explores the world of scams and fraud through real experiences, including incidents that Saumya and her husband encountered themselves and which is why meeting an author is always interesting,hearing the experiences that shaped a book adds another layer to the reading experience. It reminds us that behind every published work is a person who has observed, experienced, and chosen to turn those moments into something others can learn from. 

Thanks to Bookstores, they often introduce us to new books, stories and people.

Perhaps that's the biggest takeaway from today's meet and greet - Awareness isn't about being suspicious of everything. It's about knowing that anyone can be caught off guard and that staying informed is one of the simplest ways to protect ourselves. 

 -Sneha