A search for customer support after a damaged curd delivery allegedly led a Bengaluru homemaker to a fake WhatsApp refund process and a Rs 98,000 loss.
A Bengaluru homemaker has reportedly lost Rs 98,000 after trying to claim a refund for a leaking curd packet ordered through Blinkit, in a case that police say exposes how quickly fake customer service contacts can turn a routine complaint into a cyber fraud loss.
According to local reports, the 56-year-old woman, identified as Sreelakshmi Shastry, received the damaged order on October 17 and then searched online for a customer care number rather than using the delivery app itself. She was directed to a WhatsApp link to upload a photograph of the leaking packet as proof, after which an unidentified caller allegedly assured her that the refund would be processed.
The case then took a more serious turn. Shastry was told to check Google Pay, but when she looked at her phone she found the app icon had vanished. She later discovered that Rs 98,000 had been debited from her Bank of Baroda account, according to the reports. Police in Bengaluru have registered a case and are investigating.
The incident fits a familiar pattern in online fraud, where scammers exploit a small delivery dispute to gain trust and pressure victims into following instructions outside the company’s official system. Police have again warned consumers to use only the complaint channels provided in an app or on a company’s website, and to avoid clicking on links sent by unknown people. They have also advised anyone who suspects fraud to contact their bank immediately and report the matter through India’s national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or the online reporting portal.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
