A 32-year-old manager of a private commercial bank in Channapatna, Bengaluru South, fell victim to cybercriminals who siphoned off Rs 2.4 lakh from his account. The incident highlights the growing menace of fake customer care numbers posted online.
How the Scam Unfolded
According to the victim's complaint, on the morning of May 6, he booked a resort in Sakaleshpur through Agoda, a digital travel platform, paying Rs 19,000. Later that evening, due to personal reasons, he cancelled the booking. Seeking a refund, he searched online for Agoda's customer care number. He found the number 8000501620 and called it.
The person who answered confirmed they were from Agoda's call centre and promised to process the refund. The fraudster then sent an APK file, asking the victim to click on a link and fill in personal details such as his name and date of birth. The victim complied but refused to share his UPI PIN when asked.
Multiple Unauthorized Transactions
Despite not sharing the PIN, the victim's account was compromised. On May 10, a series of unauthorized transactions occurred within minutes:
- At 7:57 AM, Rs 99,865 was deducted.
- At 8:14 AM, Rs 42,181 was siphoned off.
- At 8:16 AM, Rs 48,025 was taken.
- At 8:19 AM, Rs 49,863 was transferred.
- At 8:20 AM, Rs 8,102 was removed.
In total, Rs 2,48,036 was stolen from his account.
Police Investigation and Warning
Senior police officials confirmed that the victim was conned by cybercriminals posing as call centre staff. The number he called was not affiliated with Agoda. Miscreants had uploaded fake numbers online to deceive unsuspecting individuals.
A senior police officer stated, "Individuals searching for call centre or helpline numbers online often fall prey to this scam. We request people to double-check the contact numbers they find online."
The police are investigating the case and urge citizens to verify helpline numbers from official websites before making any calls. They also advise against downloading APK files from unknown sources or sharing sensitive banking information over the phone.
