A new scam has surfaced in Bengaluru, putting residents at risk of financial exploitation. According to a report in Deccan Herald, a 45-year-old woman from Annapurneshwari Nagar was a victim of the scam.
Bangalore: Woman defrauded of Rs 18 million in new scam (Image source: iStock)
Digitalization has changed the experience of many things. It's convenient now. But as acceptance has grown, so too has the risk. Scammers are using new techniques to exploit the public.
latest scam
A new scam has surfaced in Bengaluru, putting residents at risk of financial exploitation. According to a report in Deccan Herald, a 45-year-old woman from Annapurneshwari Nagar fell victim to a scam and suffered a staggering loss of Rs 1.8 million.
How did this scam happen?
The scam involves scammers sending scratch cards disguised as products from popular e-commerce platforms. In this case, the woman received a scratch card purportedly from e-commerce website Meesho. Along with her scratch-off card, she received a letter with her instructions and contact details.
What happened next?
On scratching the card, the woman was informed that she had won the equivalent of Rs 15.51 million. Believing in the validity of her application, she immediately contacted the number provided to claim her prize. The caller asked for her scratch card and a photo of her ID.
After providing the requested details, the woman was informed that Karnataka lottery is illegal and she would have to pay 30% tax in advance. Having fallen prey to this ruse, she made multiple transfers amounting to Rs 18 million via RTGS between February and May.
How did she find out about the scam?
However, there was no further contact and I realized I had been scammed and reported it to the police. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including those related to identity theft and fraud through identity theft.
