Malad tippler in low spirits after losing ` 1L for 4 bottles

A 41-year-old Malad resident was duped to the tune of over a lakh rupees after he ordered liquor online. Police said the man ended up losing Rs 1.05 lakh for four liquor bottles worth Rs 1,460 after he shared his credit card details and OTP. A case has been lodged against the unidentified accused and search is underway.

The victim, an employee of a private firm, who was at home during the lockdown, wanted to consume liquor while at his own leisure in the month of May. Accordingly, on May 24, the complainant searched for a liquor shop on an online search engine, which showed him the result of one 'Sona Wines' in the neighbourhood. Subsequently, the man then dialled the number available on the webpage and ordered for two bottles of vodka and beer each.

Soon after this phone call, the complainant received a call from the same number, where a man claimed, in order to get free home delivery, he will have to make an online payment of Rs 1,460, to which the complainant agreed.

"I sent my credit card number to the shop's mobile number and to authenticate the transaction, the shopkeeper asked me to share the One Time Password (OTP), to which I obliged. Soon, Rs 39,980 was debited from my account and I raised a query," said the complainant in his statement given to the police.

The wine shop keeper promised to reverse the debited amount and asked for three more OTPs, after which the complainant lost an additional Rs 66,000 in a series of transactions, only to realise that he is being duped. The complainant then stopped sharing the OTP and called the bank's customer care to block the credit card.

Over 45 days after the cheating incident, the man approached Malad Police and lodged a complaint, claiming that he could not approach them earlier because of the lockdown. Accordingly, police lodged a FIR against unidentified accused.