How Returning Spoiled Milk Cost ₹77000 Nightmare for an Elderly Woman
How Returning Spoiled Milk Cost ₹77000 Nightmare for an Elderly Woman
Milk refund costs a cyber fraud for a 65-year-old worth ₹77,000. Discover the tactics used in this online scam and how to prevent these types of frauds.
Bengaluru: On March 18, 2024, Sarah (name changed), a 65-year-old resident of Bengaluru, was deceived by a cyber fraud while trying to return spoiled milk that she had purchased online. The occurrence underscores the escalating menace of cybercrime that specifically targets unwary individuals.
Sarah, an occasional user of an internet-based grocery retailer, discovered that the milk she had purchased had perished. In order to initiate the return process and obtain a refund, she conducted an internet search for the customer service phone number of the platform. Sadly, the number that she discovered put her in contact with the fraud artist.
Under the guise of a customer service representative, the con artist persuaded Sarah that an electronic refund would be issued instead of returning the milk. The subsequent sequence of actions he dictated for her to execute, which comprised inputting her UPI PIN, resulted in the misappropriation of ₹77,000 from her bank account.
Sarah followed the instructions without realizing the scammer’s true intentions; consequently, she entered her UPI PIN into a fraudulent page. This enabled the assailant to illicitly withdraw the funds prior to terminating the conversation.
Sarah immediately contacted the cyber helpline (1930) and lodged a police complaint at the Byatarayanapura police station after realizing she had been defrauded.
“A case has been filed in accordance with the Information Technology Act,” a senior police officer stated. “Voluntary attempts are being made to freeze the funds in the account of the fraudster.”
Not an Isolated Case
This incident underscores the criticality of maintaining a vigilant stance on the Internet. A comparable incident was documented on February 2nd, wherein cybercriminals deceived a retired bank manager into divulging his UPI PIN, resulting in a financial loss of ₹98,868.
Online Safety Measures
- Never disclose your UPI PIN to a third party. Never will reputable customer service representatives request your PIN.
- Verify the customer service contact details twice. For verified contact information, visit the official website of the company with which you are conducting business rather than relying on search engine results.
- Aware of unsolicited phone calls and messages? It is strongly discouraged to adhere to instructions obtained from unreliable sources, particularly when they pertain to financial transactions.
- Immediately report any suspicious activity that is observed. File a police report and contact the cyber helpline at 1930 if you suspect you have been the victim of fraud.
You can safeguard yourself against falling victim to online hoaxes by adhering to these straightforward measures.
About The Author:
Yogesh Naager is a content marketer who specializes in the cybersecurity and B2B space. Besides writing for the News4Hackers blog, he’s also written for brands including CollegeDunia, Utsav Fashion, and NASSCOM. Naager entered the field of content in an unusual way. He began his career as an insurance sales executive, where he developed an interest in simplifying difficult concepts. He also combines this interest with a love of narrative, which makes him a good writer in the cybersecurity field. In the bottom line, he frequently writes for Craw Security.
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