CHENNAI: People who list their houses for rent on online websites and mobile applications could be targets of a new kind of fraud, say Central Crime Branch (CCB) staff. Posing as army officers, fraudsters find listed houses and cheat money off owners.
Similar types of cybercrime have been reported in Mumbai, Pune, Mangaluru and other parts of India. According to reports, it is slowly making an entry into Chennai. Take the case of 32-year-old Gomathi* from Chennai who nearly became a victim of this type of fraud. In the last week of February, she listed her house for rent on multiple websites. Among various potential tenants, she received a call from a man claiming to be a CRPF personnel.
The caller reportedly said he was transferred to Chennai and was in urgent need of a house. He forcibly tried to persuade Gomathi to accept him as a tenant. The man even accepted to pay a rent of Rs 15,000 and an advance of Rs 75, 000 without negotiation.
The man sent a picture of an ID card and asked for Gomathi’s bank details. However, becoming suspicious, Gomathi stopped responding to his messages. He then sent links and QR codes, urging her to scan the code or click on the link to receive the money. Subsequently, Gomathi blocked the man’s number on her phone and removed her house’s listing.
Explaining the scamsters’ modus operandi, a senior CCB officer said a person claiming to be an army or CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) officer, calls house owners and tries to persuade them to rent their houses. The CCB officer explained, “The fraudsters mainly target elderly people and use legitimate army ID cards.”
After preliminary talks, the ‘potential tenant’ says an army official will contact the owner to discuss the final payment. This second person then sends bogus links and QR codes to pay the ‘rent’. However, once landlords click on this link, their account gets emptied instantly. As per information received, the amounts lost are between Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000, the officer added.
According to cybercrime officials, It is best to steer clear by never clicking on suspicious links and scanning QR codes from strangers. Even if one has clicked on the link and lost their money, the sooner they inform the police, the better are the chances to follow the money trail.
*name changed
(To report any kind of cyber crime, dial 155260)