Fraudsters trap man with ₹4,000 ‘private service’ offer, swindle ₹1.57 lakh

A 24-year-old private employee seeking ‘private service’ for ₹4,000 ended up losing ₹1.57 lakh after falling victim to an online fraud.

The Hyderabad’s Cyber Crime police booked a case.

The victim contacted a number listed on a website offering such services, where the initial price was quoted as ₹4,000, said the police.

The fraudster then requested an advance payment of ₹500, with the remaining amount to be paid upon arrival at a designated hotel. However, after the first payment, the fraudster demanded the full remaining amount upfront.

The scam continued with additional payment requests under various pretexts, including a security deposit for two persons, an ID verification fee, and a police verification and safety payment.

“Each time, the fraudster assured the victim that the latest payment would be the final one and was refundable. When the victim refused further payments and asked for a refund, the fraudster claimed that the process needs to be completed for the refund,” said the police.

Believing this, the victim continued making payments, only to be asked to pay double the amount for the refund to be processed.

After complying, the victim received a message stating that all processes were completed and was asked to provide an account number. The message also claimed that the booking ID and room number were ready to be shared at a website link. When the victim searched for the website on Google, it was unavailable, making him realise he had been scammed. In total, the victim lost ₹1,57,381 before filing a complaint.

Authorities have issued a public advisory warning about such online scams, in which fraudsters list phone numbers on fake websites offering paid services. “They often gain victims’ trust by requesting a small initial payment before demanding further amounts under false pretexts,” added the police.

Victims of such frauds are encouraged to report incidents on www.cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930. In case of an emergency, assistance can be sought by calling 8712665171. Police officials also urged people to follow their official social media platforms for updates and awareness campaigns.