An elderly man recently found himself entangled in an online scam, losing a substantial amount of Rs 3 lakh while attempting to contact Swiggy’s customer service. The unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in the digital world, especially for those who may not be as familiar with the intricacies of online security.
The man’s son, Nikhil Chawla, took to social media to share the harrowing tale in a bid to warn others about the perils of online fraud. Nikhil, who was overseas in Kuala Lumpur at the time, recounted how his 65-year-old father had ordered breakfast through Swiggy but never received the meal. Concerned about the issue, his father attempted to reach Swiggy’s customer service for assistance.
However, what started as a simple attempt to seek help turned into a nightmare when the elderly man searched for “Swiggy call center” on Google. The first number that appeared seemed to be Swiggy’s official helpline, or so it appeared. Unfortunately, this number connected him to a scammer posing as a Swiggy representative.
In a distressing turn of events, the unsuspecting man fell victim to a UPI scam, losing Rs 35,000 before realizing the deception. Undeterred, he made another call, hoping to rectify the situation and retrieve his lost funds. Tragically, this time he unknowingly spoke to another scammer, while in the background, the fraudsters gained remote access to his phone.
Exploiting this access, the scammers managed to siphon off a staggering amount of Rs 2.5-3 lakh from the man’s credit card and gained access to sensitive bank details.
Nikhil’s social media post not only served as a warning but also shed light on the prevalence of fraudulent numbers that often appear at the top of Google search results. He urged for greater awareness and vigilance, especially among vulnerable groups like the elderly who may not be as well-versed in identifying such scams.
In response to Nikhil’s post, Swiggy clarified that they do not have an official customer care number. They advised users to utilize their in-app chat support for assistance and encouraged reporting such incidents to cybercrime authorities.
Taking swift action, Swiggy removed the fraudulent website and updated their search results with warnings about online scams. However, Nikhil pointed out that these warnings were available only in English, potentially leaving non-English speakers vulnerable.
In the aftermath, Nikhil expressed gratitude for the support he received and continued to share details about the incident, including suspicions about why the food delivery never materialized. He emphasized the importance of multilingual support and increased awareness to prevent similar scams in the future.
This cautionary tale serves as a poignant reminder for everyone to exercise caution and vigilance when navigating the online landscape, particularly when dealing with transactions and customer service inquiries. Staying informed and verifying the authenticity of sources can go a long way in safeguarding against falling victim to scams.
