Cyber crook poses as Army officer, wipes clean bank account of Odisha poultry seller

A cyber fraudster posing as an Indian Army officer targeted a poultry seller in Paradip under Jagatsinghpur district by allegedly scamming him off Rs 20,600 from his bank account.

The victim, Prashant Badoi, has a poultry counter at Nehru Bangalow market complex in Paradip.

As per reports, he got a call from a man who identified himself as an Indian Army officer. The fraudster then told Prashant that a team of Indian Army officers would stay in Paradip for 15 days. They would need 15 kg of chicken every day for food and asked Prashant if he could supply them the same.

Prashant agreed and on the designated day, readied 15 kg of chicken and called the fraudster for payment. The fraudster then allegedly sent him a QR code to verify his number on PhonePe. As Prashant scanned the code, he fell victim to the cyber fraud. Within an hour of scanning the code, Prashant’s bank account was wiped clean.

Speaking about the fraud, Prashant said, “He (fraudster) asked for my number registered with PhonePe. When I gave him that he said my number was not displaying at his end. Later he sent me a QR code and told me to send Rs 5 by scanning it so that he can send me money back on that number.”

“I scanned that QR code and sent Rs 5 following which my bank account linked to PhonePe got wiped clean just within an hour. I had Rs 20,627 in my account out of which Rs 20,600 was deducted,” he added.

Following the fraud, Prashant lodged a complaint at Paradip Marine Police Station.

No comments could be obtained from the police in this connection.