Delhi woman's Rs 1 lakh loss from online food order; beware of online scams

In today's digital age, the allure of enticing food delivery offers and discounts can be hard to resist.

Who wouldn't want to enjoy their favorite restaurant meals at a discounted price or even for free?

However, amidst the growing number of online scams, it has become crucial to exercise caution and skepticism when encountering such offers.

According to a report by PTI, a recent incident in Delhi has highlighted the inherent risks present in the digital realm.

A woman named Savita Sharma fell victim to a fraudulent food delivery offer, losing a substantial amount of money to cyber scammers.

The Tempting Offer and the Scam Unveiled

According to a report by PTI, Savita Sharma, a 40-year-old senior executive at a bank, recently came across a "buy one get one free" offer for a thali (food plate) on Facebook.

This offer piqued her interest, prompting her to conduct further investigation.

Upon visiting the website linked to the offer, Savita decided to reach out for more information by making a phone call.

Unfortunately, her initial attempt to contact the concerned party went unanswered.

However, to her relief, she received a callback shortly afterward, which seemed promising.

During the subsequent call, the scammer instructed Sharma to download a particular app in order to avail the offer at the popular restaurant chain, Sagar Ratna.

To make the offer appear genuine, the scammer provided her with a user ID and password.

Trusting the credibility of the restaurant and the offer, Sharma followed the instructions, downloaded the app, and entered the provided credentials.

Little did she know that this action would have dire consequences.

As soon as Sharma entered the user ID and password into the app, her smartphone was compromised.

The scammer gained unauthorised access and swiftly siphoned off Rs 40,000 from her bank account.

Shockingly, a few seconds later, another transaction notification arrived, informing Sharma that an additional amount of Rs 50,000 had been withdrawn from her account.

To her dismay, she discovered that the scammer had cleverly transferred the money from her credit card to her Paytm account, and from there, into their own account.

Sharma was taken aback as she had never shared any of her personal details with the caller.

After that, Sharma immediately blocked her credit card and approached the police to file a complaint.

In response, the restaurant involved in this scam has issued a statement urging people to remain cautious and vigilant, emphasising that they do not make offers through Facebook.

Staying Safe

As cyber criminals continuously devise new tactics to defraud unsuspecting individuals, it is crucial to adopt preventive measures and protect yourself from online scams.

1. Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. Use your judgment and skepticism to evaluate the credibility of online promotions and discounts.
2. Never click on unauthorised links or download apps from unknown or unidentified sources. Only trust reliable platforms and official websites for online transactions.
3. Refrain from sharing sensitive personal details with strangers, especially over the phone or through unfamiliar apps. Legitimate service providers will never ask for unnecessary personal information.