Udupi: An online fraud case involving cheating of ₹1 lakh has been registered at the Udupi City Police Station after an unidentified person allegedly impersonated a friend and duped a local resident through repeated digital payment transactions.
The incident occurred on January 15, when Ashok, a resident of Kunjibettu in Udupi, received a phone call from an unknown person who introduced himself as Sandeep. As Ashok had previously worked with a person by that name, he assumed that the caller was his former acquaintance and continued the conversation without suspicion.
Caller claims medical emergency
According to the complaint, the caller told Ashok that his brother had been admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru due to a heart-related ailment. He further claimed that he had gone to a medical shop to purchase a cardiac stent but was facing difficulty in making the payment as his Google Pay account was not functioning.
The caller requested Ashok’s help, stating that he would transfer the required amount to Ashok, who could then forward it to the doctor. To gain Ashok’s trust, the caller said that he had already sent ₹50,000 to Ashok’s account.
Fake credit messages mislead victim
Soon after the conversation, Ashok checked his mobile phone and noticed a message indicating that ₹50,000 had been credited to his bank account. Believing the message to be genuine, Ashok informed the caller that he had received the money.
He then transferred ₹50,000 back to the caller using his wife’s Google Pay account, as instructed. While still on the call, the caller once again claimed to have sent another ₹50,000 to Ashok’s account.
Ashok received a second message stating that another ₹50,000 had been credited. Trusting the caller and the messages he received, Ashok again transferred ₹50,000 through his wife’s Google Pay account, believing he was returning the amount sent by his friend.
Fraud comes to light later
The fraud came to light when Ashok later checked his bank balance and realised that no money had actually been credited to his account at any point. Alarmed, he contacted his friend Sandeep to verify the matter.
Sandeep denied having made any phone calls or requesting money, confirming that someone else had impersonated him. Ashok then realised that he had been cheated through a carefully planned online fraud.
He subsequently approached the Udupi City Police Station and lodged a complaint stating that an unidentified person had impersonated his friend and cheated him of ₹1 lakh by sending fake credit messages and inducing him to make digital payments.
Police register case, warn public
Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case and initiated an investigation to trace the accused. Officials said efforts are under way to track the phone number used for the calls and the digital payment trail associated with the fraud.
Police have once again cautioned the public to remain vigilant against such impersonation scams, especially those involving urgent requests citing medical emergencies. They advised people to independently verify the identity of callers and confirm actual bank credits before transferring any money through digital payment platforms.
Conclusion
The incident highlights the increasing sophistication of online frauds, where victims are deceived through emotional appeals and fake transaction alerts. Police have urged citizens to exercise caution while using digital payment applications and to report suspicious calls immediately to prevent further losses.