A 24-year-old Bengaluru student, Riyan Hussain, fell prey to an online scam, losing ₹1.1 lakh while trying to buy a second-hand iPhone. Browsing a marketplace on January 12, Riyan spotted an appealing offer for an iPhone 16 Pro Max advertised by a seller named Kiran, as reported by Times of India.
Riyan contacted the seller and received seemingly authentic proofs like the phone’s bill and box. Reassured, he arranged to meet near Cunningham Road. At the meeting, a man named Hussain showed him the phone and documents, which appeared genuine. Convinced, Riyan transferred ₹1.1 lakh to the provided bank account.
However, when Riyan expected to receive the phone, the scammer shockingly denied receiving payment and fled the scene on his two-wheeler despite being shown proof of the transfer.
The High Grounds police have registered a case and launched an investigation to track the culprits.
Separately, Bengaluru has seen other severe cyber fraud cases, including a 70-year-old retired banker losing ₹89 lakh over 11 days in a sophisticated scam involving criminals posing as law enforcement officials.
These incidents highlight the growing danger of cybercrime and the importance of vigilance while dealing online.