Pune: Woman tries to book ₹400 birthday cake online, duped of ₹1.67 lakh
A cyber-fraudster impersonated the bakery’s employee and tricked the victim into sending the huge amount
Ordering a birthday cake ended up becoming a costly affair for a woman from Pune who fell prey to a phishing scam. The woman was duped of ₹1.67 lakh while trying to place an online order for a birthday cake worth ₹400. A cyber-fraudster impersonated the bakery’s employee and tricked the victim into sending the huge amount, said officials.
According to the Bhosari MIDC police, the woman is a resident of Moshi. On March 4, the woman browsed the internet and found the number of a cake shop, where she placed an order. A man who pretended to be the shop’s employee called her and shared bank details to make payment of ₹400. The woman faced payment issue and hence the man shared a QR code. As soon as the woman scanned the code ₹2,000 was deducted. The man assured her that he will refund the difference amount.
Investigation officer S Patil said, “The woman received only ₹10 as refund and immediately in six online transactions, she lost ₹1.67 lakh.”
Having realised that she has been duped, the woman lodged a police complaint on Monday.
The police have registered a case on charges of cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, punishment for identity theft and punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resources under the sections 419,420 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 66 (d) of Information Technology Act.
