Clicking a suspicious link caused a massive loss of ₹48,000 to a gullible online shopper! What makes it even more shocking is that she intended to buy just a few dozen eggs on massive discount i.e. for a mere ₹49.
She tried to make the payment through her credit card but she instead ended up with a bill of ₹48,000 on her card.
Modus operandi
Shivani is a resident of Vasanthnagar in Bengaluru. She said that the advert mentioned a shopping link. As she clicked the same, it took her to a page where there was a description of how hens were reared and eggs are delivered, and so on, a media report noted.
The ad also claimed that the company was selling eight dozen eggs for ₹99 and there were no delivery charges, as per the report.
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“I chose to buy four dozen eggs for ₹49. When I proceeded to place the order, it took me to a contact information page,” she added.
It was at this stage that she entered her details and clicked on it to place the order. Then she entered credit card details, including the expiry date and CVV number.
Then she received an OTP on her registered mobile number. Before she could enter the OTP, a total of ₹48,199 was debited from her credit card account.
Steps to take to prevent such frauds:
1 Illegitimate links: Avoid clicking the domains that look suspicious. Such links usually crop up while you are visiting related or even unrelated websites. What separates them from others is that these links will take you to obscure online shopping sites.
2. Stick to reputed portals: Regardless of the discount, it is advisable to be safe and stick to the reputable portals such as Amazon and Flipkart which are large online market places.
3. Credit cards: While making a payment, each reputable portal gives the option of saving or not saving the card details. If you opt out of saving your card details, the chances of fraud decline substantially, however, you should still not transact at all on any suspicious portal.
4. Stay away from steep discounts: When there is a steep discount offered on daily items, it should set the alarm bells ringing. These offers are too good to be true and are nothing more than a honey trap to steal your financial data.
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Published: 27 Feb 2024, 06:30 PM IST