Udupi woman cheated of Rs 40,500 in online refund scam

Udupi: A woman in Udupi has allegedly lost Rs 40,500 in a case of online fraud after being tricked by a caller claiming to represent the online retailer platform.

According to police, Shubha, a resident of Udupi, had been using the Meesho app to make online purchases for the past two years. She had earlier placed an order for some home appliances, which was later auto-cancelled. However, she did not receive a refund.

On June 18, she contacted Meesho’s official helpline regarding the refund. While she was on the call, the line got disconnected. Soon after, she received a call from the number 9332183056. The unknown caller claimed to be a Meesho customer support representative and promised to initiate the refund.

Gaining her trust, the caller asked for a One Time Password (OTP) under the pretext of verifying her bank details. Once shared, the fraudster allegedly used the OTP to withdraw Rs 40,500 from Shubha’s Union Bank account.

A case has been registered at the Udupi Town Police Station, and investigations are underway.