Civic official loses `81k to cyber fraud

A 51-year-old civic official had recently ordered a wireless headphone through an e-shopping portal and had returned the product after he was not satisfied with it.

The complainant, a resident of Vikhroli, who was expecting a refund for the product, received a call from a person claiming to be an executive of the e-shopping portal company.

On the pretext of providing refund to him, the fraudster induced him to download a remote access app and siphoned Rs 81,500 from his account.

According to Vikhroli police, on September 5, the complainant bought a wireless earphone from an e-shopping portal and later returned it as he was not satisfied. He was expecting a refund and on September 10, while he received a call from a person claiming to be an executive from the eshopping portal.

The caller told him that the call was related to transfer of a refund to his bank account. The fraudster then induced him to download a remote access or screen sharing app and siphoned Rs 81,500 from his

On the pretext of providing a refund to the complainant, the fraudster induced him to download a remote access app

bank account.

Having realised that was duped, the man approached the police and got a complaint lodged. The police registered a case of cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property and cheating by using computer resources.

“We appeal to people that if anyone asks them to download any application or click suspicious links, they should refrain from doing so. No official asks to download any app for refund. In most portals, details of raising complaints or customer care support are given and queries should be raised through official channel only,” said a police officer.