Attractive offer costs bizman ₹75k

THE CRIMINAL HAD TRACKED THE VICTIM’S PREVIOUS ONLINE TRANSACTIONS

In a case that shows how vulnerable the information we give out online is, a cyber criminal tracked the transactions of an Andheri businessman on a shopping site and used the information to cheat him of Rs75,000.

The criminal posed as a telecaller from the shopping website, and got the 45-year-old complainant’s card details by luring him with an attractive offer on a washing machine.

On April 27, around 11.45am, the complainant got a phone call from the criminal, who said he was a salesman from the site.

The criminal revealed details of a transaction the complainant made on the website 20 days ago .

He said the site had a new offer for him. The complainant gave out his debit card details, and the pin. The criminal used it to make 15 transactions worth Rs 75,000.

The complainant got his card blocked and approached the police.

“By giving out his pin, the complainant made the criminal’s work very easy. We are finding out how the criminal knew about the shopping done by the complainant earlier,” said an officer from the Andheri police station, requesting anonymity.

A Chandivli resident lost Rs60,000 to a cyber criminal, who then used the money to recharge 23 prepaid mobile numbers using an app.

The complainant, a 36-yearold businessman, got three SMSES between 6.52am to 9am on April 11.

Three withdrawals, worth Rs60,000 in all, were made from his ICICI bank account, even though his debit was with him. He quickly called the bank and blocked his account. Investigators told him the debit card details were used to recharge mobile numbers.

“It is either a case of debit card cloning, as the victim had his card with him, or he must have given the details to someone while shopping,” a police official told HT.