Middle-Class Nightmare: How Scammers Took Rs 70,000 In 15 Minutes Without Touching My Bank Account – And Kept Me Awake All Night | India News

Middle-Class Nightmare: How Scammers Took Rs 70,000 In 15 Minutes Without Touching My Bank Account – And Kept Me Awake All Night | India News


Time: 1:53 PM, Date: July 4, 2025, Location: New Delhi. Amid light showers, I was driving to my Noida office when my phone started buzzing with multiple message notifications. I ignored them initially, thinking they could wait. A few minutes later, I stopped to take a call from a friend. After reaching the office and wrapping up some initial routine work, I finally checked my phone around 7 PM—and what I saw sent chills down my spine.

I had lost Rs 70,000. Shockingly, not from my bank account, which only had Rs 26,000—it remained untouched. Yet, I was staring at a Rs 70,000 loss. I went numb. I felt like crying. Should I call the bank? The police? What do I do now?

Before you jump to conclusions, let me clarify: I did not share any OTP or personal information with anyone. The entire fraud happened in a span of just 15 minutes, and before I could even react, the scammer had pulled off a perfect con. Like you, I kept wondering—if my account had just Rs 26,000, how could I possibly lose Rs 70,000?

Here’s what happened:

The Modus Operandi

Cybercriminals use a variety of methods to trap victims—ranging from phishing to digital arrest threats—but what happened to me was something new and deeply disturbing.

First, the scammers somehow hacked into my phone. I still don’t know how—maybe via a malicious file, an app, or a seemingly harmless call. What they did next was even more alarming: they set up call and message forwarding from my phone to another number. Every OTP I received was also being forwarded to them in real-time.

Then came the real twist.

They accessed a site called Instacred, which offers instant consumer loans for purchases on EMI. Using my mobile number and PAN card details—which they already had—they logged into the site and applied for a Rs 70,000 loan. Since the OTPs were being forwarded to them, they verified the transaction effortlessly. 

They then used that loan to order two phones—an iPhone 13 and OnePlus Nord 4—from Flipkart, which had a tie-up with Instacred, along with other platforms like Myntra, Amazon, TataCliQ, and Curefit.


Now, you might think, “If they used your Flipkart account, couldn’t you cancel the order?” Here’s the catch: once they placed the order to a Kolkata address, they deliberately tried logging into my account multiple times using incorrect OTPs. This caused Flipkart to block the account for 24 hours due to security concerns.

Why 24 hours? Because that’s exactly how long it would take to deliver the phones.


By the time my Flipkart account could be restored, the scammer would already have the phones in hand. While they were preparing to unbox new gadgets, I was battling panic and plotting my next move.

The All-Nighter Begins

10 PM: After finishing my work, I began thinking calmly. My first priority: cancel the orders. I logged into a friend’s Flipkart account and contacted customer care. Although the executive understood the situation, he insisted I raise the complaint from the registered number—impossible, since my account was blocked.

1 AM, July 5: I reached home and used my wife’s Flipkart account to contact them again. This time, I was visibly frustrated. Thankfully, the executive was empathetic, verified my credentials, and helped cancel the order. I finally received a cancellation email.

Next task: Secure my phone and accounts.

2 AM: I checked and removed the call/message forwarding settings from my phone. Then I wondered if any malicious app was still active. I removed my SIM card and formatted the phone. Since the scammers had also hijacked my WhatsApp account, I logged out from all devices and reinstalled it on a different phone. I also reset my PhonePe account.

2:30 AM: I called HDFC Bank again to freeze my savings account and block my debit card. Around the same time, the scammers realized the order had been cancelled. They again tried to log into my Instacred and Flipkart accounts—I started receiving OTPs. Since the call/message forwarding was now disabled, they couldn’t access them. They even recharged my number with Rs 10, trying to make OTPs work again. But they failed.

4 AM: My Flipkart account was finally unblocked. I checked the cancellation status and sighed in relief. The final step was to get the loan account closed and ensure no EMI deduction would be made.

Meanwhile, I kept receiving calls and WhatsApp messages from the scammer’s number and several unknown numbers. I blocked them all.

The Day After: Settling the Storm

The next morning, I contacted HDFC again. The executive confirmed that since the order had been cancelled, the Rs 70,000 would be refunded within 7 days and the loan account would be closed. That was a huge relief.

Loophole in Cyber Policing

Despite stricter rules by the government and RBI, the cyber policing system is still unprepared for new-age frauds like this.

When I called the cybercrime helpline and visited the police station, they asked for transaction IDs or UPI references. But I had none. Why? Because no money was debited from my bank account. The entire scam involved a loan issued in my name, instantly used for purchases on EMI—without touching my personal savings.

If this had been a bank or UPI transaction, it could’ve been traced or reversed. But what do you do in case of an e-commerce purchase funded by a loan? This is a new breed of cybercrime, and law enforcement is still catching up.

India’s Cybercrime Epidemic

According to the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), India suffered losses exceeding Rs 11,300 crore in the first nine months of 2024 due to cyber fraud. That’s nearly 0.7% of India’s GDP. Think about it—scammers are using your hard-earned money to fund their luxury lifestyle.

How to Protect Yourself

* If you receive an OTP for a transaction you didn’t initiate, immediately check for call/message forwarding settings. Remove any suspicious numbers.

* Scan your phone for malicious apps or hidden software. Format the phone if needed.

* If your account is under threat, freeze your bank, credit/debit cards immediately.

* Stay alert for suspicious messages or emails indicating new logins or orders.

* Always use multi-factor authentication and avoid sharing personal details anywhere online.

* In case of any fraud, contact the bank, police, and cybercrime portal without delay. 



Source link