In India, online fraud is on the rise. Cyber criminals constantly devise new schemes to fool unsuspecting internet users and take their money. In addition to accessing individuals’ personal information, these hackers often steal money from their bank accounts. In the most recent fraud, a man from Mumbai who tried to acquire alcohol online lost over Rs 1 Lakh.
A brief about Mumbai man loses Rs. 1.2 lakh when placing an Internet alcohol order
A 49-year-old Mumbai resident from Malabar Hills was reportedly looking to connect with liquor outlets online, per a TOI report. The victim, a technician at a law firm, was conducting online research when he found Peekay Wines’ phone number in South Mumbai. He called the number supplied, eager to buy, and placed an order.
However, when the man asked for an invoice, things went terribly wrong. To send the victim the bill for the order, the person on the other end of the line requested that they share an OTP (One-Time Password). But as soon as the victim shared the OTP he had got on his phone, the con artist immediately withdrew Rs1.2 lakh from his bank account.
The individual reported the illicit transaction, and the Malabar Hill police opened an investigation under the IPC’s cheating, forgery, and IT Act sections. Police officials have issued warnings to citizens about scammers who are using the identities Deepak Wines, Shah Wines, and Peekay Wines to deceive people by putting their phone numbers online while the matter is still being investigated.
Notably, this is not the first known instance of an online liquor scam. A 24-year-old Mumbai lawyer tried to order alcohol online a few months ago and was tricked into parting with Rs 44,782. The con artist pretended to be the owner of a liquor store and offered to deliver two bottles of beer.
Similar to the prior incident, a fraudster posing as the proprietor of a wine shop conned the victim out of Rs 44,782 in this instance as well. According to reports, the victim attempted to get beer online but the con artist persuaded him to place a WhatsApp order for a minimum of two drinks at Rs 360. The con artist then demanded an additional Rs 30 for delivery, and sent the lawyer a QR code to use to pay for the beers.
The victim was then given a QR code for payment by the con artist. The victim thought the situation was plausible, but the con artist demanded that he pay Rs 4999 in order to get the bill for the two beers. The con artist promised the lawyer that his bank account would not be debited for any money. Contrary to what the con artist claimed, when the lawyer scanned the QR code, Rs 499 and Rs 4999 were immediately taken out of his bank account.
When the attorney claimed a refund, he received a second QR code, which caused him to lose more money. The lawyer repeatedly scanned the code in an effort to get a refund but lost Rs 44,782 in the process.
Victims in both incidents should exercise caution while making online payments. First off, neither offline nor internet stores nor vendors ever request payment in exchange for a bill. Second, receiving money should never require sharing an OTP or scanning a QR code.
Keep in mind that OTP and QR code scanning are only employed during money transfers. One should be mindful of the online payment system and never believe any number they see online in light of the escalating instances of online fraud. Additionally, before sending money, always double-check the recipient’s contact details. You can only avoid scams if you are aware of them.
