Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Aug 31: Despite recent warnings advising the public to speak in Kannada when receiving calls from strangers to avoid online fraud, a resident of Katapady was targeted by a fraudster who attempted to con him in the Kannada language.

Chandra Poojary, president of the Truck and Tempo Owners’ Association of Katapady, received a call from an individual claiming to be a lawyer. The caller alleged, “Your loan instalment is pending, and a case has been filed against you. You need to attend court.” The caller then pressured Chandra to pay the instalment through Google Pay, using the number 8792701216, which appeared as ‘Naga R’ on the True Caller app.

The caller insisted on knowing when Chandra could appear in court and handed the phone to another person posing as the manager who issued the loan. The supposed manager claimed there was a technical issue preventing automatic deduction of the instalment and urged immediate payment via Google Pay.

Recognizing the scam, Chandra responded, “I do not have any pending loans. If there is an issue, I will visit your office in person. Where is your office in Udupi?” The caller stammered, promised to send the location, and abruptly ended the call.

Chandra then contacted the company that provided his vehicle loan, who confirmed that no one from their office had made such a call and that his loan payments were up to date.

Reflecting on the incident, Chandra said, “If I had succumbed to their pressure, I would have lost money by paying through Google Pay. Fortunately, being aware of online fraud through media and newspapers, I stayed alert and saved my money.”