Maharashtra: Woman Scammed of ₹1 Lakh While Ordering Food; Cyber Department Seizes Full Amount in 25 Minutes During Golden Hours

In a concerning incident of cyber fraud, a 41-year-old woman from Mumbai fell victim to a scam while attempting to order food online. The fraud occurred when the victim searched for a restaurant on Google and contacted a listed number for a hotel in Mahape to place an order. During the call, she was asked to confirm her booking by paying through her credit card. Trusting the caller, she shared her card details, which led to two unauthorized transactions totaling ₹1 lakh.

Upon realizing she had been defrauded, the victim visited the hotel, only to discover that no individual by the name of the suspect was associated with the establishment. The hotel management assured her of their full cooperation. However, the harassment did not end there, as the victim continued to receive threatening calls demanding additional money.

Seeking help, the victim contacted the Maharashtra Cyber Helpline at 14407. The cyber team responded and froze the fraudulently debited amount within 25 minutes and prevented further financial loss.

The Maharashtra Cyber Department commended the victim for her prompt reporting and reminded citizens to exercise caution when sharing personal or financial details online. Officials emphasized the importance of verifying the authenticity of businesses before making transactions and urged victims of cybercrimes to report incidents immediately for effective action.

For assistance with cybercrimes, citizens can contact the Maharashtra Cyber Helpline at 14407.