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A routine attempt to return a pair of shoes purchased online allegedly turned into a cyber fraud that cost a 65-year-old man ₹2.69 lakh in Kerala’s Kannur district. Police are investigating how money was withdrawn from his bank accounts after he received suspicious calls while arranging the return.
The incident occurred on November 5, when the victim was trying to reschedule the collection of footwear that did not fit properly. During the process, he received an ordinary phone call from an unknown number and a WhatsApp video call from another number.
Police registered a case on November 7 after the victim reported losing ₹2,69,500. Investigators have identified the bank accounts that received the money and initiated steps to prevent further withdrawals.
How A Footwear Return Turned Into A Banking Fraud
The victim, a resident of Dharamshala in Kannur district, had purchased footwear through an online shopping platform.
However, the shoes were the wrong size, prompting him to request a return.
According to police, the problem began when he attempted to reschedule the collection of the item on November 5.
While dealing with the return process, he received a telephone call from an unfamiliar number. Around the same time, another unknown number contacted him through WhatsApp video calling.
The complainant alleged that his mobile phone was compromised during the interaction.
Shortly afterwards, ₹2,69,500 was allegedly withdrawn from bank accounts maintained at different branches.
The victim became aware of the unauthorised transactions and approached his bank for assistance.
However, the money could not be recovered immediately.
He subsequently approached Thaliparamba Police, who registered a case and began tracing the financial transactions.
Police have not publicly disclosed whether the victim installed an application, shared confidential banking information or approved any suspicious request during the calls.
These details will be important in establishing how the alleged fraud was carried out.
Police Trace Accounts Used To Receive The Money
Investigators have identified the bank accounts into which the stolen money was allegedly transferred.
Police said the banks concerned had been instructed to freeze the identified accounts.
Such action is intended to prevent suspected fraud proceeds from being withdrawn or transferred to additional accounts.
However, identifying a receiving account does not automatically establish who operated it or whether its registered holder participated knowingly in the fraud.
Cybercriminals frequently use third-party accounts to receive and move stolen funds.
Investigators must therefore examine the transaction records and establish who controlled the accounts at the relevant time.
A case has been registered under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which concerns cheating involving dishonest inducement to deliver property.
Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, dealing with cheating by personation using computer resources, has also been invoked.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not announced any arrests in connection with the case.
Can A WhatsApp Video Call Really Hack Your Phone?
One important question remains unanswered: how was the victim’s mobile phone allegedly compromised?
The police account records the victim’s allegation that the compromise occurred during a WhatsApp video call.
However, the publicly available information does not establish that the video call itself provided access to his phone or banking applications.
Simply answering a WhatsApp video call should not be treated as proof that a device has been hacked.
Criminals can use several different techniques to deceive mobile phone users.
One involves persuading victims to install applications that allow another person to view or control their device.
These are commonly called remote-access or screen-sharing applications.
Some such applications serve legitimate purposes, including technical assistance. However, they can be misused when criminals convince people to grant access under false pretences.
The Reserve Bank of India has previously warned that fraudsters may impersonate customer-service representatives and persuade victims to install such applications.
Once access is granted, criminals may attempt to obtain confidential information or interfere with financial transactions.
There is currently no confirmation that this particular method was used in the Kannur case.
Why Online Returns Have Become A Target For Fraudsters
Online shopping returns often require customers to interact with delivery personnel, customer-service representatives or digital support systems.
Fraudsters can exploit these interactions by pretending to assist with refunds, collection schedules or payment verification.
A customer expecting a genuine service-related call may be more likely to trust someone who appears familiar with the order.
This can create opportunities for impersonation and financial fraud.
Earlier consumer-safety warnings have highlighted the risks of contacting unverified customer-care numbers or following payment instructions received through unexpected calls.
Customers should therefore initiate return requests through the shopping platform’s official application or website.
For investigators in Kannur, the immediate priority is tracing the stolen funds and determining how the accused obtained access to the victim’s financial accounts.
The case also raises questions about whether the suspicious calls were connected to the victim’s genuine return request or merely coincided with it.
What This Means For You:
Always arrange online shopping returns through the retailer’s official app or website, and never install unfamiliar software or share banking credentials during customer-service calls. If money is withdrawn without permission, contact your bank immediately and report the fraud through 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in
