In bid to get Rs 200, Andheri woman loses Rs 6.42 lakh to cyber fraud

According to the police, the 32-year-old complainant works part time for a travel agency and she was to get Rs 200 from a client in her e-wallet.

The police said the cyber fraudster had uploaded his contact information as “customer care” on the internet. (File photo)

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An Andheri-based woman, who was trying to get a pending amount of Rs 200 credited to her UPI e-wallet, lost Rs 6.42 lakh after she contacted a “customer care number” found on the internet.

According to the police, the 32-year-old complainant works part time for a travel agency and she was to get Rs 200 from a client in her e-wallet. However, as the transaction appeared incomplete, she searched online for PayTM’s customer care number and found a “helpline” on June 3.

The police said the cyber fraudster had uploaded his contact information as “customer care” on the internet. On contacting the said number, a man responded to the complainant and identified himself as a PayTM executive. She explained her issue, and in order to resolve it, the “executive” made her download a remote desktop mobile app.

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He kept her busy talking and made her give consent to the said app, allowing him to access her mobile screen, said a police officer. He later induced the complainant to send money to him, claiming it was all refundable and would be immediately credited back to her account, the complaint said.

“She did what he said and, as a result, a total of Rs 6.42 lakh was fraudulently transferred out from her account. Later, when she did not receive her money back, she realised that she had been duped. The accused person switched off his phone,” another officer said.

The woman then approached the Andheri police station and filed a cyber fraud complaint.

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