Auto Rickshaw Driver Falls Victim To Scam: Fraudster's Fake PhonePe Payment Costs Him Rs 23,400

In yet another case of internet fraud, a Bengaluru autorickshaw driver lost Rs 23,400 to a woman who duped him with a forged UPI payment.

While the incident did not take place online, the victim's lack of awareness about UPI payments and his surroundings caused him to lose his money. Here's what happened:

Bengaluru auto driver falls prey to PhonePe scam

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Shivakumar VH, a 58-year-old man who lost his right leg to gangrene during the pandemic, was on his way to visit a friend when he was accosted by a woman.

She requested transportation to a spot near where he was going to meet his friend. Because the victim was on a similar path, he agreed to drop her, according to The Times of India.

"At around 9.45 a.m., I was talking to a friend who owed me money. I told him to meet me near PES College in Hanumanthnagar to settle the debt. While I was on the phone, a woman in her 20s came up to me and requested a ride near PES College. Given that I needed to meet my friend, I readily agreed," he recounted.

During the journey, the victim revealed that he was on the phone with a friend concerning a financial situation. However, the woman overheard his chat and questioned him about whether he had a PhonePe account in the middle of the journey.

"My friend was supposed to pay me Rs 25,000. She overheard our conversation and asked for my PhonePe number again when we reached near Nayandahalli. I thought it was because she wanted to pay the auto fare, so I gave her the number," he said.

Woman ran away with cash before the driver could verify the payment, and now a case has been filed

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When the driver arrived at the spot, he ran into his friend, from whom he was supposed to receive cash. The woman, however, would not depart, and as soon as the driver collected the money from his companion, she approached him again.

She sought cash from the driver, explaining that she needed it to pay her college fees, and guaranteed the driver that she would refund the money quickly via PhonePe.

"When we were close to the college, my friend handed me Rs 25,000 and walked away." In her presence, I counted the money. 'Uncle, do you need this money?' she inquired. I wasn't sure why, but I said yes. "She then explained that she needed the money because the college didn't accept digital payments and she didn't have cash or a debit card," he revealed.

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The driver agreed to assist the needy; however, for her own protection, he required that she first make an online money transfer. The woman consented and even displayed a PhonePe confirmation message confirming a payment transfer of Rs 25,000 before accepting the cash from him.

However, when the driver checked his bank account again, he discovered that he had not received any payment. He realised he had been duped at that point.

However, due to his disability, the driver found it difficult to pursue the woman. Despite his efforts, he was unable to gain admission to college. He then filed a police report against the woman, which resulted in the filing of a case in her name.

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