A 56-year-old businessman in Bengaluru fell prey to a financial scam inside his own shop. Ramesh SR, a juice shop owner in Rajajinagar II Block, was duped of Rs 81,000 by a conman who pretended to be an official from Paytm.
How the Fraud Occurred
The incident took place during the evening rush hour when an unidentified man entered the shop and approached Ramesh with an offer to reduce costs. The suspect claimed to be a Paytm representative and targeted the monthly rental fee for the Paytm Soundbox, a device that alerts merchants about successful digital payments. He assured Ramesh that he could permanently waive the subscription fee, making the service free.
Trusting the visitor, Ramesh handed over his smartphone to let the 'agent' update the settings. While Ramesh attended to a sudden influx of customers, the suspect was left unsupervised with the unlocked device. Seizing the opportunity, the fraudster accessed Ramesh's financial applications and executed two quick electronic transfers totaling Rs 81,000 before returning the phone and fleeing.
Police Investigation
Police have registered a case and are investigating the incident. They urge the public to be cautious of such fraudulent offers and never hand over their phones to unknown individuals.
