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A new cyber fraud pattern has emerged in Indore in which users are being lured with offers to watch popular web series or video content for just ₹1, only to be redirected to fraudulent links that can expose banking, UPI and card information or trigger unauthorised payments.
The scam has reportedly generated 72 complaints in the city within one month, highlighting how low-value digital offers are being used to lower victims’ suspicion before stealing sensitive financial information.
The fraud generally begins with advertisements or social media posts offering access to entertainment content at an unusually low price. Users who click the links are taken to pages that imitate legitimate streaming or payment interfaces.
₹1 Offer Used to Build Trust
The central lure is the promise of watching web-series content for only ₹1.
Because the amount appears insignificant, users may be more willing to proceed without closely checking whether the website or payment page is genuine.
Fraudsters exploit that moment of trust by asking for payment information or redirecting users to pages designed to collect card details, UPI credentials or other banking information.
In some cases, users may also unknowingly authorise recurring payments or AutoPay instructions while attempting to make the small initial payment.
The scam therefore depends less on the ₹1 itself and more on convincing the victim to interact with a fraudulent payment flow.
Fake Links Can Lead to Larger Losses
Once a user enters financial details on a malicious page, the information can potentially be used for unauthorised transactions.
Fraudulent pages may also attempt to obtain additional details such as account information, card numbers, expiry dates, CVV data or UPI-related credentials.
The initial low-value transaction can make the payment request appear harmless, but the real objective is to obtain access to financial information or create a recurring payment mandate.
Victims may only realise something is wrong after larger amounts are deducted from their accounts or after they notice an unfamiliar AutoPay instruction.
72 Complaints Reported in One Month
The scale of complaints indicates that the tactic is not an isolated incident.
Reports from Indore indicate that 72 complaints linked to this type of fraud were received within a month.
The cases underline how cybercriminals are increasingly using entertainment content, social media promotions and extremely low introductory prices to attract users.
Instead of relying on obviously suspicious messages, fraudsters are creating offers that resemble common digital subscription promotions.
This makes the scam particularly effective among users who are accustomed to introductory pricing, free trials and discounted streaming offers.
Social Media Ads Help Spread the Scam
Such fraudulent offers can be circulated through social media advertisements, messages and promotional links.
A user may see a post claiming that a new episode or popular web series is available at a nominal charge and click without verifying the destination.
The fraudulent page may then imitate the appearance of a legitimate entertainment or payment platform.
Users who proceed with the transaction can expose their personal and financial information directly to the fraudsters.
The use of familiar entertainment content also gives the scam an appearance of legitimacy, especially when the advertisement includes images or references to popular shows.
AutoPay Can Turn ₹1 Into Repeated Losses
One of the more concerning aspects of the fraud is the potential misuse of recurring payment mechanisms.
A user intending to make a one-time ₹1 payment may instead authorise a recurring debit if the payment page is misleading or fraudulent.
Once such a mandate is created, additional amounts can be deducted later.
Users should therefore carefully review payment screens before approving any transaction and verify whether the payment is one-time or recurring.
Any unexpected AutoPay or subscription instruction should be cancelled immediately through the relevant banking or UPI application.
Users Should Verify Links Before Paying
Cybercrime officials regularly advise users not to enter banking or card information on links received through unknown social media advertisements or unsolicited messages.
Even when the requested amount is extremely small, the destination website should be checked carefully.
Users should access entertainment and streaming platforms through their official applications or websites rather than through promotional links received from unknown sources.
They should also verify the domain name, avoid entering OTPs on unfamiliar pages and review UPI or card payment requests before authorising them.
Immediate Reporting Can Limit Losses
Anyone who notices an unauthorised transaction or suspicious recurring payment should immediately contact the bank or payment provider.
Victims should also report the incident through official cybercrime reporting channels and preserve screenshots, transaction IDs, URLs and payment records.
Prompt reporting can improve the chances of blocking further transactions and tracing the financial trail.
The Indore complaints show how even a ₹1 offer can become an entry point for serious financial fraud when users are redirected to malicious payment pages.
The scam is another reminder that the size of the first payment is not a reliable indicator of safety. In many online frauds, the smallest transaction is simply the first step toward a much larger loss.
