Chennai

In a bid to get Rs 79 refund for cancelled food order, Chennai woman loses Rs 40,000 to fraudster

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CHENNAI: In an attempt to get Rs 79 back from a food aggregator, a 21-year-old woman was conned into paying Rs 40,000. Priya Agarwal had gone to Vadapalani on Wednesday.

“She had ordered food from an aggregator for Rs 79. A few minutes later, the order was cancelled. She made an attempt to speak to the customer care and searched for the number online,” said a police officer. Subsequently, she found a number and raised a complaint.

“The man promised to resolve the issue if she paid Rs 5,000 and claimed that the money would be refunded. He claimed that it was difficult to transfer Rs 79 as it was a small amount. Believing this, she transferred the money but did not get a refund.

When she contacted the number again, the fraudster asked her to deposit another Rs 5,000. The woman was told to keep sending Rs 5,000-installments till she ended up sending Rs 40,000. It was only when she did not get the money and the number was switched off, that she realised she had been conned,” said a police officer.

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