A 56-year-old homemaker in Bengaluru lost Rs 98,000 to cyber fraudsters after searching online for a customer care number to seek a refund for a damaged packet of curd ordered through Blinkit. The fraudsters allegedly impersonated customer service representatives and persuaded her to follow instructions sent through WhatsApp, leading to an unauthorised withdrawal from her bank account.
The incident has prompted a police investigation into the alleged online refund scam.
How Did the Fraud Begin?
According to a police complaint filed by Soundarya, whose name has been changed, the incident began after she ordered a packet of curd through Blinkit on October 17.
The woman, a resident of an apartment on Palace Cross Road in Vasanth Nagar, discovered that the packet had arrived in a damaged condition.
She raised the issue with the delivery agent, who advised her to contact customer care for assistance.
How Did the Woman Contact the Fraudsters?
Following the delivery agent’s advice, Soundarya searched online for a customer care number and called a number she found on the internet.
The person answering the call allegedly posed as a customer service representative and assured her that a refund would be processed.
Believing she was speaking to an authorised representative, the woman followed the instructions provided during the conversation.
What Happened After She Received a WhatsApp Link?
The caller subsequently sent Soundarya a link through WhatsApp and instructed her to upload a photograph of the damaged curd packet.
She submitted the photograph as requested, believing it was part of the refund verification process.
Shortly afterwards, another person contacted her and claimed that her refund was being processed. The caller then asked her to check her digital payment account.
How Was Rs 98,000 Withdrawn
When Soundarya opened her digital payment account and entered her password to check the balance, the application suddenly disappeared from her screen. She soon discovered that Rs 98,000 had been debited from her bank account.
The withdrawal occurred after she had followed the instructions given by the individuals posing as customer care representatives.
What Action Have Police Taken?
After discovering the unauthorised transaction, Soundarya approached the police and sought action against those responsible. The Central Cyber Crime Police registered a case based on her complaint and initiated an investigation into the alleged fraud.
The investigation is examining the circumstances surrounding the deceptive customer care interaction and subsequent financial loss.
What Does This Mean?
The case highlights how cyber fraudsters can exploit routine customer service complaints to deceive online shoppers.
A simple refund request turned into a financial fraud after the victim contacted an unverified customer care number and followed instructions received through WhatsApp. Consumers should use official customer support channels and avoid opening unfamiliar refund links or entering sensitive payment credentials on instructions from unverified callers.
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