A damaged packet of curd turned into an expensive lesson for a 56-year-old woman in Bengaluru. She had ordered the product through Blinkit and wanted a refund after discovering that the packet had arrived damaged. However, her search for customer care assistance allegedly led her to cyber fraudsters, leaving her with a loss of Rs 98,000.
According to reports, the woman contacted a number she found online and followed instructions from people claiming to be customer care representatives. A WhatsApp link and a request to check her digital payment account later became part of the alleged fraud. Police have registered a case and are investigating the incident.
How A Damaged Curd Packet Led To The Fraud
The woman, identified as Soundarya in the complaint, lives in Bengaluru’s Vasanth Nagar area. She reportedly ordered the curd through Blinkit on October 17. When the delivery arrived, she found the packet damaged and raised the issue with the delivery agent. She was advised to contact customer care to resolve the complaint.
Soundarya then searched online for the company’s customer care number and called one of the numbers she found. The person who answered allegedly assured her that a refund could be arranged. The caller subsequently sent her a link through WhatsApp and asked her to upload a photograph of the damaged curd packet. Believing this was part of the refund process, she followed the instructions.
Woman Loses Rs 98,000 After Opening Payment App
After the photograph was submitted, another person reportedly contacted Soundarya and claimed that her refund was being processed. The caller then asked her to check her digital payment account. According to the complaint, she opened the payment app and entered her password. The application then disappeared from the screen. She soon discovered that Rs 98,000 had been debited from her Bank of Baroda account.
The reported transaction took place within a short period. However, the exact method allegedly used by the fraudsters to access or transfer the money has not been established in the available reports. After realising that she had been cheated, Soundarya approached the police. The Central Cyber Crime Police registered a case involving alleged cheating and impersonation. The investigation is underway.
How To Avoid Fake Customer Care And Refund Scams
This incident is a reminder that finding a customer care number through a general internet search can be risky. Fraudsters may pose as representatives of familiar companies and use an everyday problem, such as a damaged delivery, to gain a person’s trust. If a product ordered through Blinkit arrives damaged, the safer option is to raise a complaint through the official app. Avoid relying on unverified phone numbers found in search results or on social media.
Be particularly cautious if someone claiming to be a customer care executive sends an unfamiliar WhatsApp link or asks you to open a payment app. Never share your banking password, UPI PIN or OTP with another person. A genuine refund should not require you to disclose these confidential details.
If money is debited without your authorisation, contact your bank immediately and report the suspected cyber fraud by calling India’s national cybercrime helpline at 1930. You can also file a complaint through the official National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Conclusion
A simple request for a refund allegedly cost a Bengaluru woman Rs 98,000 after she contacted an unverified customer care number. The case highlights how scammers can exploit common online shopping problems. When something goes wrong with an order, using official support channels and treating unexpected links with caution can help reduce the risk of falling victim to fraud.
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