Panchkula: Siblings lose ₹1.6 lakh to online fraudsters

The siblings had contacted a helpline after looking it up online to get a refund for their Uber fare worth ₹310, but fell prey to online fraudsters

Two siblings, seeking a refund of ₹310 Uber fare, ended up losing ₹1,64,398 to online fraudsters after contacting a helpline number found through a Google search.

A case under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the Sector-5 police station in Panchkula. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The complainant, Anil Kumar Sood, 60, of Dalhousie, who is at present staying in Sector 21, said he dialled the helpline number after searching for it online.

The accused asked him to add the account number in the Google Pay app and then enter 82,199 in the ‘Amount’ field, misleading him that the said figure was his PIN number, he said, adding that the accused then hung up saying that his Google Pay was not updated.

However, Sood’s sister then asked the accused to transfer the amount via Paytm. The same process was directed to her, minutes after which ₹82,199 were deducted from her account, Later, he received a message that same amount was deducted from his account, he said.

A case under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered at the Sector-5 police station.