Mira Bhayandar: A 35-year-old woman from Kashimira became the latest victim of cyber-crooks as she lost Rs. 63,000 while trying to order beer from a wine shop.
As per the FIR lodged at the Kashimira police station on Wednesday, the woman, who works with a multinational information technology services company, held a party at her place.
After searching for "wine shops near me," she got information about the beer and wine shop in the Shanti Dham area of Mira Road. Her roommate called the given number, and an alleged fraudster from the other side told her they do not accept cash on delivery.
The woman transferred Rs. 400 for four beers into the specified digital wallet account. However, the caller asked her to register herself, as she was a first-time online user and would be eligible for discounts and special offers on future orders after the completion of the registration process.
The crook sent a Quick Response (QR) code
The crook sent her a QR code, asking her to scan it. The woman scanned it, and Rs. 2,999 got debited from her account. The woman then called the fraudster, who, under the guise of refunding the money, sent her more such QR codes.
Eventually, the woman lost Rs. 63,398 through five fraudulent transactions. An offence under the relevant sections of the IPC and the Information Technology Act 2008 has been registered at the Kashimira police station against unidentified miscreants.
Unsuspecting callers are getting swindled after calling up fake helplines and contacts that are uploaded by cyber criminals on the platforms of popular search engines.
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