Udupi: A 68-year-old man from Kutpadi, Lokanath Bangera, became the victim of a cyber fraud, losing ₹1.59 lakh while trying to cancel his Jio Hotstar subscription on Saturday.
According to police, the elderly resident searched for a customer care number on Google. Upon calling the number he found, an unknown person redirected him to a second contact. Believing it to be official assistance, Bangera explained that he wished to cancel his subscription.
During the interaction, the fraudster managed to gain access to the victim’s Google Pay credentials. Exploiting the situation, the caller reportedly tricked Bangera into sharing OTPs, and soon, two transactions were made — ₹99,500 and ₹60,000 — from his separate bank accounts.
Realising he had been duped, Bangera filed a complaint, and a case has been registered at Udupi Town Police Station under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
Authorities have urged the public not to rely on random helpline numbers found online and to verify contact details through official websites or apps.