A young management graduate from Hyderabad fell victim to a sophisticated online scam, losing a substantial sum of money after being lured by a fraudulent festive offer. The incident highlights the growing threat of cybercrime during the holiday season.
The Deceptive New Year Offer
The victim, a 28-year-old resident of Yousufguda, received a message on WhatsApp that appeared to be forwarded by a neighbour. The message promoted an attractive New Year Offer from DMart, promising significant festive discounts. Trusting the source, the man clicked on the embedded link.
He was redirected to a website that was a clever imitation of the official DMart online portal. Believing it to be genuine, he proceeded to enter his credit card details on the site on December 16 to avail of the supposed deal.
Swift Unauthorised Transactions
Minutes after submitting his financial information, three unauthorized transactions were charged to his card. The first was for Rs 40,000 at Infiniti Retail Ltd in Mumbai. This was quickly followed by a larger deduction of Rs 1.17 lakh at Croma in Bengaluru. A third transaction of Rs 10,000 was made at BookMyShow in Mumbai.
The total loss amounted to Rs 1.6 lakh. Realising he had been scammed, the victim immediately took steps to block his credit card to prevent further fraud.
Police Action and Official Advisory
The victim approached the cybercrime police station in Hyderabad on Thursday to file a formal complaint. Based on his statement, the police have registered a case under relevant sections of the law. The charges include Sections 66-C and 66-D of the IT Act, along with Section 318 (4) for cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property and Section 319 (2) for cheating by personation under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
In response to this and similar incidents, Telangana Cyber Security Bureau director-general Shikha Goel issued a crucial advisory on Friday. She revealed that advertisement-related online fraud has increased by 32% during the festive season.
DG Goel offered clear safety guidelines for the public. Citizens must refrain from clicking on unknown links or making advance payments on unverified platforms, she advised. She further emphasised the importance of basic digital hygiene: Always enable two-factor authentication and never share OTPs, PINs, or CVV numbers with anyone.
For victims of such scams, she stressed the importance of acting swiftly. People should immediately call the national cybercrime helpline 1930. Reporting the crime within the golden hour significantly improves the chances of tracing and recovering the stolen funds.
