HYDERABAD: A senior Income Tax officer lost over Rs 40,000 from his bank account while attempting to purchase alcohol online.
He reportedly added a wine bottle to his cart on the morning of November 9 and contacted a phone number listed on the website via WhatsApp to check whether home delivery was available.
When told that an additional Rs 100 would be charged for delivery, he paid the total amount of Rs 2,320 using a QR code sent to him through Google Pay.
The fraudster asked him to scan another QR code and enter his UPI PIN to confirm the delivery. Immediately, Rs 19,021 was debited from his account. When he questioned the deduction, the caller again instructed him to scan a fresh QR code to generate an OTP for delivery.
The unsuspecting official followed the instructions, resulting in a similar amount being withdrawn. Banjara Hills police have filed a case and the probe is on.