Cyber Crime
Software Engineer Scammed of Rs 1.5 Lakh In Online Call Girl Scam
BENGALURU: A young 22-year-old software engineer, identified as Suman (name changed), fell victim to a cunning scam while attempting to avail services from an online call girl. Suman, residing in Wilson Garden, recounted his ordeal to the Adugodi police, narrating how he ended up losing a substantial sum of Rs 1.5 lakh to fraudsters.
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The incident unfolded when Suman, on a Friday evening, was innocently downloading games from the internet. While browsing, he inadvertently clicked on a game portal that redirected him to an adult classified site advertising sex worker services. Intrigued, he contacted a number provided on the site, initiating his downward spiral into the scam.
Upon messaging the provided number, Suman received an immediate response inquiring about his location. Expressing his presence in Koramangala, he was informed of a service fee of Rs 5,000, with an advance payment of Rs 500 required for confirmation. Trusting the legitimacy of the transaction, Suman complied and made the initial payment via a digital payment application.
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Subsequently, the scammers directed Suman to a hotel near Electronics City at 7:30 pm, where they demanded the remaining Rs 4,500. This demand was followed by an unexpected request for an additional Rs 8,900 as a refundable security deposit, promised to be returned the following day. The situation escalated as more financial demands cropped up, including a supposed security deposit for the girl’s identification verification.
Feeling uneasy about the escalating requests, Suman expressed his concerns, only to be reassured by the convincing fraudsters. Falling deeper into the trap, he provided a soft copy of his Aadhaar for ID verification, masking sensitive details. The scammers then slyly demanded Rs 13,500, claiming it was for immediate return post-verification.
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As the demands spiraled out of control, Suman’s suspicions grew. The scammers, going by the name Gourav Singh, attempted to validate their credibility by involving a supposed company accountant in a conference call. This tactic aimed to lure Suman into making further payments, even faking screenshots of payments to deceive him.
Realization dawned when Suman grasped the extent of the deceit, culminating in a loss of Rs 1.5 lakh. Only then did he seek assistance by contacting the cyber helpline number 1930. The following day, he took the matter to the police, lodging a formal complaint regarding the fraudulent ordeal.
Suman, while recounting his distressing experience, emphasized the elaborate steps the scammers took to manipulate and extort money from him at each stage of the transaction. His cautionary tale serves as a stark reminder to remain vigilant and cautious while engaging in online transactions, especially in sensitive and unfamiliar contexts.