Face masks are turning out to be the easiest way to dupe the gullible. Conmen are offering to sell quality masks, collecting huge advance amounts and are then simply switching off their mobile phones. The gullible people , who are being duped, are now rushing to the police with complaints.
At least two such cases surfaced in Hyderabad city alone during the last 24 hours. In the first case, a doctor has ordered 100 N 95 masks, which are considered safe and secure. The online caller, who offered to sell the masks, asked the doctor to pay the advance amount. Believing the online caller, the doctor has transferred Rs 56000 from his account to the account number given by the caller. Later, when the doctor tried to call the online trader, the mobile was switched off. He has now approached the police with a complaint. In another case, some people approached a surgical mask seller with an offer to buy some masks. After the deal was fixed, they asked the trader to scan a QR code. Soon, Rs 1 lakh from the traders' account was transferred to their accounts. They have now switched off their phones.
The police have asked the citizens to be careful about such online transactions and wanted the people to lodge complaints in case of any financial or online frauds. The police also said that such cases of fraud are increasing ever since the lockdown was announced.
At least two such cases surfaced in Hyderabad city alone during the last 24 hours. In the first case, a doctor has ordered 100 N 95 masks, which are considered safe and secure. The online caller, who offered to sell the masks, asked the doctor to pay the advance amount. Believing the online caller, the doctor has transferred Rs 56000 from his account to the account number given by the caller. Later, when the doctor tried to call the online trader, the mobile was switched off. He has now approached the police with a complaint. In another case, some people approached a surgical mask seller with an offer to buy some masks. After the deal was fixed, they asked the trader to scan a QR code. Soon, Rs 1 lakh from the traders' account was transferred to their accounts. They have now switched off their phones.
The police have asked the citizens to be careful about such online transactions and wanted the people to lodge complaints in case of any financial or online frauds. The police also said that such cases of fraud are increasing ever since the lockdown was announced.