Cons targeting bizmen, firms registered with Justdial: Cyberabad cops

Hyderabad: Cybercrooks are preying on unsuspecting businessmen and firms registered with online service providers like Justdial by luring them with bulk orders, the Cyberabad police have said. They have appealed to the public to take abundant caution during such dealings.

Fraudsters in Telangana and other states are collecting the contact details of Hyderabad-based firms and agencies registered with Justdial to con them. They call on the numbers proposing to buy services or products in large quantities.

The police said the tricksters manage to trap their target as they sound genuine over the phone. Once they gain the trust of a businessman or a company, the fraudsters persuade the other side to accept their proposal and siphon off money from the victim's bank account.

In a recent case reported to the Cyber Crime police station, Cyberabad, a fraudster had got in touch with the complainant, who runs a beauty parlour and is registered with Justdial. The caller told the parlour owner that he was from the film industry and wanted to get makeup done on 30 women as brides. The 'customer' agreed to pay Rs 5 lakh for the job.

Believing the words of the fraudster, the complainant agreed to visit the house of the caller and do the makeup and other work as informed to her. The fraudster said he would transfer the money to the account of the complainant and took down her account details.

The fraudster said he had deposited the money, but it was not getting reflected in the complainant's bank account due to some technical error. He asked the complainant to return some money so that he could send it again. Believing his words, the complainant transferred Rs 2 lakh to the account of the fraudster, who immediately went incommunicado after receiving the money.

The police have said they have come across more such offences involving sellers registered with Justdial. The Cyberabad police have released an advisory to firms registered with the online portal.

1. Don’t believe the caller/fraudsters, unless seen him physically.

2. Never share bank details to the caller/fraudster unless confirmed that the caller is genuine.

3. Never pay any amount into the fraudster account in advance, believing the words of caller/fraudster.