Jharsuguda: A man from Jharsuguda district in Odisha was duped of Rs. 20 lakh in an online scam on June 12. The victim, identified as Mr. M. Venkatachalapati Rao, had placed an order for a Sai Baba Bhoga (prasad) online. He received a call from a person claiming to be a delivery service representative, who asked him to make an online payment of Rs 5 as a “token of trust.”
Mr. Rao made the payment, but the delivery service representative then asked for an additional 5 as a “token of trust.” Mr. Rao again made the payment, but the representative continued to make demands for money, eventually conning him out of Rs. 20 lakh between June 9 and June 12.
Mr. Rao realised that he had been scammed and reported the matter to the police. The police are currently investigating the case and trying to track down the fraudster. This is a reminder to be careful when making online payments. Never give out personal or financial information to someone you do not know.
