A television producer based in Delhi reportedly fell victim to a scam, losing ₹ 61,900 while attempting to book a doctor’s appointment online.
As per the police, Tabassum Qureshi, a resident of Daryaganj in Central Delhi and employed as a television program producer, claimed that she was defrauded of approximately ₹ 61,900 by a scammer who promised to arrange a doctor’s appointment for her in Delhi on December 29, 2022.
In her statement, Tabassum detailed that she discovered the contact number of Dr. Sumit Jain’s private clinic on the internet. Initially, her call didn’t go through, but later, she received a call from an unfamiliar number. The individual on the other end claimed to be a clinic staff member and assured her that he would secure the appointment.
Identifying himself as a clinic representative, the fraudster requested a ₹ 5 donation for orphanage kids through a payment link. Although the initial payment attempt failed, the woman ultimately used her sister-in-law’s mobile device to make the payment.
Even though the attempt to make the transaction via her sister-in-law’s mobile was unsuccessful, Tabassum received a notification after 5-10 minutes, indicating a deduction of ₹ 51,900 from her account. Additionally, a few moments later, she received another message informing her that an additional ₹ 10,000 had been deducted from her mother Sardar Qureshi’s account.
Following the incident, the Delhi police registered a case u/s 420/120B on February 28 at the Cyber Police station of Central District.
Precautions of Online Bookings
Use Trusted Websites: Only use reputable and well-known websites for bookings. Stick to official websites of businesses, airlines, hotels, and event organizers.
Check the URL: Before entering personal or payment information, ensure that the website’s URL starts with “https://” and has a padlock symbol in the address bar, indicating a secure connection.
Read Reviews: Look for reviews and feedback from other customers who have used the same booking service. This can give you insights into the reliability and legitimacy of the service.
Avoid Clicking Links: Instead of clicking on links in emails or messages, type the website URL directly into your browser. This helps avoid phishing scams that lead you to fake websites.
Verify Contact Information: Check the website for contact information such as phone numbers and physical addresses. Avoid websites with only email addresses as the primary contact.
Double-Check Details: Review all booking details carefully before confirming. Ensure the dates, times, locations, and other information are accurate.
Use Secure Payment Methods: Prefer using secure payment methods like credit cards, PayPal, or trusted online payment services that offer buyer protection.
