Be Aware of QR CODE SCAMS | Unbelievable BEER fraud Man orders Rs. 360 worth of alcohol on WhatsApp and loses Rs. 44782 | ADVOCOTE

Be Aware of QR CODE SCAMS | Unbelievable BEER fraud Man orders Rs. 360 worth of alcohol on WhatsApp and loses Rs. 44782 | ADVOCOTE

New Scam Techniques: BE AWARE

Online con artists are constantly modifying their methods in order to defraud customers and take their money. According to a recent tragic event, a fraudster defrauded a 24-year-old lawyer from a law business in southern Mumbai of Rs. 44782 over the course of many internet transactions. When the con artist pretended to be the proprietor of a wine shop and promised to deliver two bottles of beer, the situation took an unexpected turn.

QR CODE FRAUD

On October 26, 2022, the victim looked online for nearby wine shops to get beer, and after finding a contact there, he identified a business nearby, according to the police report. He dialled, but no one picked up. But shortly after, the scammer called him again and demanded that he use a WhatsApp call to place an online order. The victim placed an order for two beer bottles for Rs. 360 after the lawyer initially ordered one bottle and was informed that they would accept at least two bottles. A police officer claimed that after that, the fraudster issued a QR code on WhatsApp chats for the payment to be made along with an additional Rs. 30 delivery fee.

And this is where the con artist starts to con the man out of his money. The accused phoned the victim once more and asked him to pay Rs. 4999 using a payment app to generate a bill, assuring him that no money would be taken from him. Unfortunately, the victim followed the instructions, and his account was debited for Rs. 499 and Rs. 4999. When he requested a refund, the situation worsened. The conman continually requested that the attorney scan the QR code.

The victim reportedly followed the instructions to collect his refund but after eight transactions, he apparently lost Rs. 44782 from his account. Not surprisingly, he couldn’t connect with the fraudster when he tried to contact him. Later, the police verified that the online con artist had banned the lawyer’s phone number. Later, the victim filed a complaint at the Cuffe Parade police station against the unknown person. The accused has not yet been located.

Lesson on How to stay away from online frauds

No matter what you purchase online, be sure to take precautions to keep yourself safe. The first step is to never scan a QR code that a stranger has provided you. If you do manage to do it, be sure you don’t repeat the mistake. In actuality, you will inevitably lose more money. It’s important to as thoroughly as possible verify the company with which you are placing an internet order. The greatest error you can do is conducting a Google search and contacting everyone you find there. Finally, to help the police quickly apprehend the fraudster if you are a victim, get in touch with their cyber cell.