Panchkula woman hoping to sell old bicycle online loses ₹24,800 to cyber fraud

Hoping to sell a bicycle at an online market place cost a Panchkula resident dear, as she fell prey to cyber fraud; the accused posing as an interested buyer, illegally withdrew ₹24,800 from her bank account

Hoping to sell a bicycle at an online market place cost a Panchkula resident dear, as a fraudster, posing as an interested buyer, illegally withdrew ₹24,800 from her bank account.

In her complaint, who lives in Panchkula, and works for Infosys, said she had posted an advertisement on the OLX website to sell her daughter’s old bicycle, but became a victim of cyber fraud. (Representative Image/HT File)

In her complaint, Divya Jaiswal, who lives in Mansa Devi Complex and works for Infosys, said she had posted an advertisement on the OLX website to sell her daughter’s old bicycle.

A man called her in response to the advertisement and expressed interest to buy the bicycle for ₹3,000. To accept the payment, he sent her a QR code via WhatsApp. Jaiswal said on scanning the code, ₹24,800 were deducted from her bank account, while no payment was received. The caller then went off the grid.

Police have lodged an FIR under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code at the Mansa Devi Complex station, and launched a probe to trace and arrest the accused. Police advised residents to be cautious when asked to scan a QR code, as it was not required in transactions involving receipt of money.