The New Swiggy Go option was launched by Swiggy. A user can send packages anywhere in the city using Swiggy Go, an instant pickup and delivery service. One can use this service to send food from home to the office, pick up and drop off laundry, collect forgotten items, etc. Businesses can use this service to deliver packages to customers.
Since "Swiggy Go" launched in Bengaluru, controversy has surrounded it. After calling the Swiggy Go helpline, a woman from Bengaluru filed a police complaint saying that she had lost Rs 95,000. However, she had actually contacted a bogus Swiggy Go helpline. Here we will explain what happened and how you can avoid such fraud in the future.
A woman loses Rs 95K by calling a fake Swiggy Go helpline
A woman, 47, from Bengaluru, wanted to sell her used smartphone. She, therefore, posted an advertisement on OLX, an e-commerce platform. She was contacted by a person who wanted to purchase her phone and agreed to the price she quoted. The woman requested delivery of the phone through Swiggy Go.
Around 8:45 pm, a delivery boy picked up the phone from the service center she had specified. After receiving a call from the buyer at 11 p.m., the woman was informed that the delivery had been canceled and the buyer had not received the phone.
The woman immediately called the delivery boy to inquire about the phone. According to the delivery boy, the phone was kept at the Swiggy office since the order was canceled. She was asked to contact Swiggy's customer care to get the phone back.
Since the woman did not know the number to call, she searched on Google for it and found it. After calling that number, the person on the other end introduced himself as a customer care representative. In order to fix the situation, the woman was requested to click the link and pay Rs 3 to Swiggy's account. After clicking the link, she was brought to an online form where her UPI PIN had to be entered.
She received a call from an unknown number shortly after the form had been submitted, asking her to forward the updated link to five different numbers. She thought this was a procedure, so she followed everything the fraudsters told her. When she completed all the procedures, her bank sent her a message that Rs 95,000 had been deducted from her account.
Fraudsters used a fake customer service number to lure the victim into giving money to them. Aside from Swiggy, fraudsters have posted fake customer service numbers for numerous other companies. In the main, the purpose of posting these numbers is to defraud people and drain their bank accounts. The fraudsters hack the bank accounts of customers when they call these numbers.
Swiggy spokesperson claimed Aparna had given an insufficient delivery address and placed the order via her son's cellphone. She later removed her son's SIM card and used her number to place another order. She could not be contacted by the delivery guy as she was using a different mobile number. Also, Swiggy's spokesperson stated that the woman was "cheated by someone else, not Swiggy".
Also Check: Lady lost 26 lakh in a job scam
How to avoid this fraud -
1. Do not call the number shown on a Google search. Check the official website of the company instead.
2. Do not divulge your personal information to anyone over the phone. In no case will a bank or a reputed company ask for your personal information like your card number, CVV, or OTP over the phone.
3. You shouldn't let a stranger guide you through the mobile app installation process. If he requests to modify your mobile settings, it might be a scam.
4. The use of digital escrow platforms for payments is recommended. When you make an online payment with Escrow, no financial information is shared. There is a platform for escrow called Vouch.
How does digital escrow work?
In digital escrow, a third-party account holds the money deposited by the buyer until the seller fulfills the terms of the contract. The escrow company supervises the transacting parties.
What is the role of Digital Escrow in preventing online fraud in India?
Digital escrow services are offered by many companies in India. Among the most trusted is Vouch.
Vouch’s Digital Escrow service is a transparent way for buyers and sellers to build trust and secure a clean transfer of product and payment. Sellers can feel assured that they will be fairly compensated promptly, and buyers will feel confident that their order will be delivered as expected and on schedule. Vouch Digital Escrow keeps you updated and informed at every step of the transaction process till the end. Vouch’s professionals are always available to assist you with all queries that you may have during the entire transaction process.
There is no scope for deceit or fraud since the payments, shipping, delivery, and execution are carried out under the honest and watchful eyes of the Vouch’s professionals. With Vouch, any business transaction becomes transparent, uncomplicated, and hassle-free. If you ever come across a fraudster asking for OTP, asking you to scan a QR code, or asking you to click on phishing links, you can simply refuse and ask him/her to proceed with the transaction through Vouch.
This is Fraud Story #174. Check back here for more fraud stories and scams that you can protect yourself from.
Safety is not just about protecting your credit, debit card number, and UPI accounts. It's about having control of your money till you've received the product or service you bought online!
Note: This is a good-faith initiative to educate the world about avoiding frauds like these and how to act when you're becoming a victim of such a situation.
Do you have a fraud you would like to report? Please write to us at letstalk@iamvouched.com
