A resident of Pakyong district in Sikkim has allegedly fallen victim to an online fraud after being lured by a fake Facebook advertisement that promised a cash prize in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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Fake Coupon Advertised on Facebook
According to information received on May 1, Lok Bahadur Gurung, a resident of Linkey in Pakyong district, reported that he came across a Facebook advertisement offering an online coupon. The advertisement claimed that the coupon would provide a cash reward from the Prime Minister.
Believing the offer to be genuine, Gurung scanned the QR code attached to the advertisement. Soon afterward, he received a message from his bank stating that ₹1,496 had been deducted from his account on the same day.
Complaint Filed on Cyber Crime Portal
After realising that he had been duped, Gurung reported the matter to the authorities. A complaint has been registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal with acknowledgement number 32805260000274.
The case points to the continued use of fake social media advertisements and QR codes by fraudsters to target unsuspecting users online.
Public Warned Against Prize Schemes
Officials have urged the public to remain cautious of fraudulent online advertisements, prize schemes and unsolicited QR codes circulated on social media platforms.
