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The 56-year-old woman, looking to raise a complaint with Blinkit, searched for the customer care number on Google and was sent a Whatsapp link to upload the packet’s photo as proof
After the woman uploaded the photograph, an unidentified person allegedly contacted her and assured her that a refund would be processed. (AI-Generated Image)
A 56-year-old homemaker from Bengaluru’s Vasanth Nagar has allegedly lost Rs 98,000 to cyber fraudsters after attempting to get a refund for a leaking curd packet that was delivered through the Blinkit app.
The victim, Sreelakshmi Shastry, had ordered curd through Blinkit on October 17. Upon receiving the order, she noticed that the packet was leaking and decided to contact customer care to register a complaint.
She searched for customer care on Google and called the number that appeared in the search results. During the interaction, she received a link on WhatsApp, purportedly to upload a photograph of the leaking curd packet as proof.
After she uploaded the photograph, an unidentified person allegedly contacted her and assured her that a refund would be processed. She was then asked to check Google Pay.
However, when she checked her phone, she noticed that the Google Pay app icon had disappeared. She subsequently discovered that Rs 98,000 had been debited from her Bank of Baroda account.
Suspecting that she had been cheated in the name of a refund, Shastry lodged a complaint with the police.
The Central CEN Crime Police Station in Bengaluru has registered a case under the relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Further investigation is underway.
How Fake Customer-Care Scams Work
Fraudsters often exploit the urgency of resolving a delivery or payment problem. A fake helpline number or an impersonator posing as a customer-care executive may persuade a victim to click a link, share sensitive information or follow instructions involving a banking or UPI app.
Consumers are advised to raise complaints only through the official app or website of the relevant company, rather than relying on unverified phone numbers found through online searches. They should avoid opening suspicious links or sharing OTPs, UPI PINs or banking credentials with unknown callers.
Anyone who suspects financial cyber fraud should contact their bank immediately and report the incident to the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Police have once again advised people to be careful and said consumers should avoid relying on customer care numbers found through unverified online searches. Complaints should be raised only through official apps or websites, and suspicious links shared by unknown individuals should not be opened.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Sreelakshmi Shastry searched online for a customer care number to claim a refund for a leaking curd packet ordered on October 17. After calling an unverified number, fraudsters sent her a WhatsApp link to upload a photo and tricked her into checking Google Pay, leading to an unauthorized debit of Rs 98,000 from her Bank of Baroda account.
Ask News18About the Author
Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and R…Read More
October 27, 2026, 10:17 IST
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