Crime Hyderabad

Hyderabad religious school head scammed of Rs. 1.1 lakh in fake donation scheme

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Hyderabad religious school head scammed of Rs. 1.1 lakh in fake donation scheme

Hyderabad: A 39-year-old man from Hyderabad, who runs a religious school, fell victim to a cyber fraud after a phone call from a purported donor in Karnataka. The scammer, claiming to be interested in contributing to the school’s construction, tricked the victim into transferring over ₹1.12 lakh.

The incident began when the caller, who pretended to be a philanthropist from Karnataka, enquired about the progress of the school’s construction and expressed a willingness to make a donation. The victim agreed, and the fraudster requested the victim’s Google Pay number to facilitate the transaction.

Subsequently, the scammer asked the victim to prepare a receipt for the donation and send it back. To ‘verify’ the donation, the fraudster instructed the victim to pay ₹1 through Google Pay by scanning a QR code provided. After the small transaction went through, the fraudster continued to manipulate the victim, asking for larger amounts to be transferred first via PhonePe, and then via Google Pay.

Following the fraudster’s instructions, the victim made a total of ₹1,12,001 in multiple transfers. The fraudster then demanded an additional ₹11,000, which the victim also sent. At this point, the scammer assured the victim that both the transferred amount and the promised donation would be refunded together. However, realising he had been cheated, the victim filed a complaint with authorities.

Public Advisory

Check the source: Always verify the source of a QR code before scanning.

Use a QR code scanner app: To see the destination URL before scanning a QR code. If the URL seems suspicious, do not scan it.

Look for physical tampering: Ensure the QR code has not been tampered with, such as with a sticker placed over the original code.

Download apps only from official app stores: Avoid downloading apps via QR codes or unknown websites.

If you are a victim of cybercrime, individuals can contact the Cybercrime helpline at 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in. For immediate assistance, one can call or WhatsApp at 8712665171.