Bengaluru, February 25: In a recent incident of cybercrime, a 38-year-old woman from Vasanthnagar fell victim to an online shopping scam, losing Rs 48,000. The fraudsters targeted online shoppers by offering incredible discounts on household products under the guise of well-known brands.
TOI reported that the victim, referred to as Shivani (name changed upon request), came across an email advertisement on February 17, claiming that a renowned company was selling eggs at exceptionally low prices. The ad contained a shopping link that led to a page describing the process of rearing hens and collecting and delivering eggs. Online Scam in Mumbai: Cyber Fraudsters Dupe 46-Year-Old Businessman of Rs 8.43 Lakh After Posing As Police; Second Such Incident in Two Days.
Among various offers, one claimed to supply eight dozen eggs for Rs 99 with no delivery charges. Shivani decided to buy four dozen eggs for Rs 49. After entering her contact information and proceeding to place the order, she was directed to a page with credit card payment options. Online Scam in Gurugram: Fraudsters Pose as Cops, Dupe Man of Rs 56 Lakh; Investigation Underway.
Upon entering her credit card details and clicking on ‘proceed to payment’, an OTP was sent to her registered mobile number. However, before she could enter the OTP, Rs 48,199 was debited from her credit card account and transferred to an account named ‘Shine Mobile HU’.
Shortly after, Shivani received a call from her bank’s credit card section to confirm the payment. She informed them about the fraud, leading to her account being blocked. She was advised by the cybercrime helpline (1930) to lodge a complaint at the nearest police station.
A police officer stated that if Shivani had not received the call from the bank for cross-verification, the fraudsters could have siphoned off more money, given the Rs 3.7 lakh limit on her credit card.
A case has been registered under the IT Act, and an investigation is currently underway. Steps have been taken to freeze the funds in the fraudsters’ account.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 25, 2024 08:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).