A man has claimed that he was scammed outside Mumbai Airport Terminal 2 after a stranger approached him for financial help, only for him to later recover the money by tracking the man through his phone numbers and online posts.
Sharing the incident on Reddit, the user said he was exiting the arrival area when a man, who appeared to be around 26 years old, came up to him and asked for help. According to the post, the man claimed he had arrived from Delhi, had an exam the next day and urgently needed ₹2,000 to pay for his hotel.
Man claimed his UPI was not working
The Reddit user said the man appeared genuine as he was carrying two Samsung phones and showed an error on his device, claiming that his UPI had hit the daily transaction limit.
“He asked me to scan a QR code. The payment name showed "Golden Residency IND." When I questioned why it wasn't in his name, he said it was the hotel's QR code because his own UPI wasn't working. He even demonstrated the error on his phone. In a hurry, I transferred the money,” the user wrote.
Before leaving, the user asked him to send a WhatsApp message. The man first sent a message from another number under a different name. When questioned, he allegedly showed a PAN card in the name of Prateek Bhatia and then sent another message from his primary phone.
{{/usCountry}}Before leaving, the user asked him to send a WhatsApp message. The man first sent a message from another number under a different name. When questioned, he allegedly showed a PAN card in the name of Prateek Bhatia and then sent another message from his primary phone.
{{/usCountry}}The user said he became suspicious minutes later after searching the first number on Truecaller. “It was tagged as "Airport Scammer." I immediately called him back and asked him to return to the spot where he had approached me,” he wrote, adding that the man delayed and later disappeared.
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User says money was returned
The Reddit user claimed he later found videos and posts online in which others had described similar incidents involving the same person at Delhi Airport and other locations. He said he also contacted one of the man’s relatives and warned that he would file an FIR with the evidence he had collected.
“Within an hour, he started calling me repeatedly,” the user wrote. He claimed the man later returned the full amount but abused him for contacting his relatives. “Yes, I got my ₹2,000 back,” the post added.
Take a look here at the post:
Internet reacts
The post drew several reactions online. One user wrote, “I have seen quite a few posts about this person in other subs over the past few months. I’m surprised nothing has been done about it yet.” Another said, “There is a hierarchy in rates too: ₹100 at the railway station, ₹50 at the bus stop, and ₹2,000 straight at the airport.” Others reacted with concern, saying, “This is alarming and needs attention,” while another added, “This is concerning.”
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(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)