Retired govt official loses 99k after returning shoes bought online
Ahmedabad: A retired govt official from Dakor, 67, became the target of cyberfraud while trying to return an ill-fitting pair of shoes worth Rs 356. His attempt to return it to the store ended in a bank account wipeout, according to a complaint filed with Dakor police on Thursday.
He had ordered a pair of sneakers from an online shopping platform on June 4. He received the parcel on June 7 but found that the size didn't fit. He initiated a return, and the delivery agent collected the shoes on June 10. By June 14, the parcel was marked as returned, but a refund had not been initiated.
On June 17, the official received a message that the refund could not be processed due to a technical error. Soon after, he received a missed call from an unknown number.
When he called back, no one answered. Minutes later, he received a call from the same number. A man introduced himself as a customer service executive and offered help via WhatsApp.
He then asked for the official's bank details. Convinced by the calm tone and the promise of refund, he shared his account number and IFSC code. The caller kept the conversation going for almost an hour. During two separate WhatsApp calls, the caller asked for multiple OTPs, claiming this was part of the refund process.
The officer shared five OTPs.
Within minutes, he received text alerts. Three back-to-back transactions debited Rs 49,876, Rs 4,899, and Rs 44,556 — a total of Rs 99,331. Realizing something was amiss, he repeatedly called the same number. The caller insisted the money had been debited due to "technical issues" and would be returned. The official then reported the fraud to the cybercrime helpline and later filed a complaint at Dakor police station.
An investigation is underway.
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