Panchkula: Man trying to find table tennis academy loses ₹2.7 lakh in online fraud

The complainant alleged that during the conversation, the fraudsters gained unauthorised access to his mobile phone and PhonePe application, inserted their own UPI ID, and withdrew ₹90,000 from his SBI account

The cybercrime police has registered a cheating case following a complaint by a Sector 21 resident, who was allegedly duped of ₹2.70 lakh in a sophisticated online fraud on January 11.

Police have initiated an investigation into the matter and are tracking the digital trail of the accused. (HT Photo for representation)

The victim in his complaint alleged that he was searching online for a table tennis academy in Panchkula when he came across a contact number claiming to offer registrations. The caller asked him to deposit ₹10 as a registration fee. Sensing something suspicious, he disconnected the call. However, the fraudsters soon contacted him again from another number, falsely claiming that his bank account had been emptied and offering to help him recover the amount.

The complainant alleged that during the conversation, the fraudsters gained unauthorised access to his mobile phone and PhonePe application, inserted their own UPI ID, and withdrew ₹90,000 from his SBI account. They allegedly sent fake messages in the name of RBI approval and government fund transfer to assure him that the money would be refunded.

When no refund was received, the accused reportedly convinced him to provide another bank account, claiming the payment gateway was not working. In the process, they also allegedly hacked the mobile phone of his wife, and fraudulently withdrew ₹1.80 lakh — ₹90,000 each from her two separate bank accounts. Police have initiated an investigation into the matter and are tracking the digital trail of the accused.