Indian Air Force Staffer Scammed of Rs 43,000 in QR Code Fraud | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: A 49-year-old man working in the Indian Air Force recently lost Rs 43,000 to a cybercrook after he attempted to contact the customer care of a digital payment application (DPA), downloaded a remote desk app and clicked on an APK file link.
K Elliah Suresh, deployed at Headquarters Training Command, IAF filed a complaint with Central CEN Crime police on Nov 23, stating that he shopped for a few items in the air force canteen on Oct 26. The bill amount was Rs 1,918. He scanned the QR code to pay the money through PhonePe. The amount was deducted from his account, but the canteen in-charge informed him that it hasn’t been credited to them.
He immediately tried to complain to the customer care in the app, but couldn’t do it. So, he dialled 8068727374, the helpline number he found on the internet. The person who received the call introduced himself as the customer care executive of the DPA and assured him of help in getting his money back.
The customer care executive made a WhatsApp video call from another number, 8485955587. He made Suresh download a remote desk access app on his phone from the playlist. After he downloaded it, he asked him to enter the code he received on his mobile number and share it with him. Without doubt, Suresh followed his instructions. The miscreant then sent him an APK file link. Suresh clicked on the link and followed further instructions.
He asked Suresh to open another DPA (GooglePay) and miscreant siphoned off Rs 43,010 from the account. Suresh received the alert message. His account was emptied. He immediately called the cyber helpline 1930 and complained later with the police. The amount was credited to an account of a digital payment bank. A case is registered under the Information Technology Act and BNS 318 (cheating).
8068727374 used to cheat many
Several social media users, in their posts on X and LinkedIn among others, have said that that fraudsters calling from number 8068727374, claiming to be representing various DPAs had siphoning off their money and used their credit and debit cards for online transactions. The fraudsters are also using the number to trap people by asking them to redeem their unclaimed points, posing as bank executives. If anyone doesn’t fall for their trap, the callers abuse them before disconnecting the call.