In Lucknow ,For 40-year-old Ram Mohan Yadav, selling his old sofa online turned into a nightmare that cost him nearly Rs 2 lakh. What was supposed to fetch him Rs 14,000 became yet another reminder of how sophisticated cyber fraudsters are becoming.
According to his police complaint, a man identifying himself as Nitant Kumar Singh contacted Yadav, posing as a buyer. Claiming he would transfer the amount online, Singh sent him a QR code. When Yadav scanned it, Rs 14,000 flashed on his screen but instead of credit, his account was debited by Rs 99,665. Before he could comprehend what happened, Singh repeated the trick, siphoning off another Rs 98,000.
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False Identities, False Promises
The accused allegedly posed as the owner of Royal Furniture Mahal, making repeated calls to build Yadav’s trust. By the time suspicion arose, the money was gone. Police have registered a case under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, and the cybercrime cell has begun its probe.
Another Victim, Another Trap
In a separate incident, Mohammad Furqan fell prey while searching for a neurologist’s number online. He clicked on a link sent by an alleged hospital staffer, after which a flurry of OTPs arrived on his phone. Within minutes, his bank account was emptied of Rs 1.05 lakh through unauthorized transactions.
Both cases highlight how cybercriminals exploit trust, urgency, and lack of digital awareness. Police say fraudsters increasingly use QR codes, fake websites, and cloned phone numbers to trick unsuspecting users.
Cyber experts urge the public never to scan codes or click on links sent by unknown numbers. Instead, they advise confirming payments directly through verified apps and avoiding personal or banking information over calls.
As the cybercrime cell intensifies its investigation, authorities are also stressing the importance of digital literacy campaigns to prevent more such incidents. For victims like Yadav and Furqan, however, the losses have already been devastating.