A 71-year-old former professor from the University of Florida, visiting family in Salt Lake, Kolkata, lost ₹8.5 lakh after calling a fake airline helpline number he found online. His Kochi flight had been cancelled and the ₹11,000 refund was credited to his travel portal wallet; while trying to get it transferred to his bank account, he searched for the airline’s customer-care number on Google and reached fraudsters. Though the caller spoke in Hindi instead of English, he sounded convincing and persuaded the professor to share his banking details and OTP. Soon after, multiple unauthorized transactions drained ₹8.5 lakh from his bank account. Police have registered a case and are investigating.
- Prevention Tip:
- Never trust helpline numbers from random Google results – always go to the airline’s official website or app to find support contacts.
- Never share OTPs, PINs, or UPI approval requests – genuine staff will never ask for these.
- Save official customer-care numbers in advance for airlines or services you use often, so you’re not forced to search during emergencies.
- Amount paid: ₹850,000
- Evidence: Claimed
- Sources: Source
- Actions tried: Police/FIR
- Outcome: Lost
- City: Kolkata
- Sector: Travel
- Trap Type: Fake Airline Helpline
Story
After a flight cancellation, a traveler Googled a helpline and reached fraudsters posing as airline staff. On sharing OTPs, multiple withdrawals were made from his bank account. Police are investigating and warning about fake helplines in search results.
Quick Facts
- Amount paid: ₹850000
Prevention Tip
Never trust helpline numbers from random Google results – always go to the airline’s official website or app to find support contacts.
Never share OTPs, PINs, or UPI approval requests – genuine staff will never ask for these.
Save official customer-care numbers in advance for airlines or services you use often, so you’re not forced to search during emergencies.
Actions Tried
- police_fir
