Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jun 23: Cyber fraudsters duped nearly 500 people in Goa of around Rs 3 crore in May alone, with all complaints being registered through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), police officials said.
Authorities have registered more than 40 FIRs related to cybercrime cases up to May this year and have warned citizens to remain vigilant against increasingly sophisticated online scams.
According to police, fraudsters employed multiple tactics to deceive victims by impersonating bank officials, stockbrokers, airline employees, online booking agents and traders. Many of these scams were initiated through fake advertisements circulated on social media platforms.
Investigators said victims who responded to such advertisements were often redirected to WhatsApp, where fraudsters shared QR codes and requested payments. Once the money was transferred, the promised products or services were never delivered.
Police have also received several complaints involving extortion attempts, where fraudsters threatened to circulate objectionable photographs of victims or their family members on social media unless money was paid.
In one case involving a job scam, an accused posing as airline staff offered a victim a ground staff position at Dabolim Airport. After gaining the person's trust, the fraudster demanded money to process the application. The victim transferred the amount through UPI but never received the promised employment.
In another incident, an employee of a hotel received a phone call from a man who placed an order for five portions of chilli chicken worth Rs 2,500. The caller requested a personal phone number to make a QR-code-based payment.
The fraudster later claimed he had accidentally transferred Rs 25,000 instead of the actual amount and requested that the excess money be refunded. Believing the story, the employee transferred Rs 6,000, only to later discover that no money had ever been credited to his account.
In a separate case, a person who had posted an advertisement on social media was contacted by an individual pretending to be a prospective buyer. The accused claimed he would make an advance payment through a merchant UPI account and sent a QR code to complete the transaction.
After being persuaded to scan the QR code and carry out multiple transactions, the victim lost Rs 18,000 through three separate payments.
Police have urged the public to exercise caution while interacting with unknown individuals online and avoid making payments based solely on phone calls, messages or social media advertisements.
Authorities have advised citizens never to scan QR codes sent by strangers, share OTPs or banking details, or transfer money without independently verifying the authenticity of the person or organisation involved.
Officials also encouraged people to immediately report suspicious activity through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal or contact the cybercrime helpline to prevent further financial losses.