A 56-year-old homemaker from Bengaluru's Vasanth Nagar lost Rs 98,000 to online fraudsters after a seemingly routine refund request for a damaged grocery item spiralled into a cyber scam, according to reports.
The woman, a resident of an apartment on Palace Cross Road, had ordered a packet of curd through quick-commerce platform Blinkit on October 17. When the delivery arrived damaged, she raised the issue with the delivery agent, who suggested she reach out to customer care directly for a resolution, the Times of India reported.
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Fake Customer Care Number Set The Scam In Motion
Rather than going through the app, Soundarya searched online for a customer care number and called one she came across on the internet. The person who picked up assured her a refund would be processed and walked her through a series of steps to apparently complete the process. He then sent her a link over WhatsApp, asking her to upload a photo of the damaged packet as part of the refund procedure.
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Second Caller Pushed Her To Check Payment App
After she submitted the photo as instructed, a second person called her, claiming her refund was being processed and asking her to check her digital payment account to verify the status.
Trusting the instructions, Soundarya opened the app and entered her password to check her account balance. Almost immediately, the app vanished from her screen. It was only then that she discovered Rs 98,000 had been debited from her bank account without her authorisation.
Case Registered, Investigation Underway
Realising she had fallen victim to a scam, Soundarya approached the police to report the incident and seek action against those responsible. Central Cyber Crime police have since registered a case and are investigating the fraud.
The incident adds to a growing pattern of scams where fraudsters pose as customer care representatives for e-commerce and delivery platforms, often listing fake contact numbers online that surface in search results ahead of a company's genuine support channels.
Victims are typically directed to share sensitive information or follow malicious links under the guise of resolving a complaint, ultimately leading to unauthorised access to their banking or payment accounts.
Authorities routinely advise users to avoid searching for customer care numbers online and instead rely only on verified contact details listed within the official app or website of the service they are using.
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