Insta fraudsters use false ads as bait
An increasing number of Instagram users are falling victim to fraudulent online stores. According to the cybercrime portal (1930) under Karnataka Police, there has been a notable rise in such cases.
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Many fall prey to these scams because Instagram stores often don't offer cash on delivery, forcing customers to pay in advance.PHOTO:PTI
- Daniel George
Bengaluru, 28 Sept
Smitha Rai
(name changed), a native of Dakshina Kannada district, was thrilled when she
stumbled upon a Bengaluru-based clothing store on Instagram. The store, called
Riya Fashions, had over 15,000 followers and offered trendy clothes at prices
lower than the market. Trusting the store, Rai placed an order and paid in
advance since cash on delivery wasn’t available. She was assured that her order
would be delivered within 10 days. However, when the dress didn’t arrive, she
discovered that the Instagram account had been deactivated and the contact
number was unreachable.
Rai’s
experience is not unique. An increasing number of Instagram users are falling
victim to fraudulent online stores. According to the cybercrime portal (1930)
under Karnataka Police, there has been a notable rise in such cases.
Many fall
prey to these scams because Instagram stores often don't offer cash on
delivery, forcing customers to pay in advance. “People fall prey to the reduced
prices displayed on Instagram when compared to physical stores. Instagram is
just a platform for advertising and does not guarantee the security of the
payments made by the customer,” CB Ryshyanth, Superintendent of Police
(Wireless), told Salar News.
Fraudsters create fake pages of shopping outlets on social media platforms and run fake advertisements to attract targets. “The targets pay via Google Pay, Paytm or Phone Pe accounts linked to SIM cards with fake names and addresses making it difficult for police to trace them,’’ Ryshyanth said. —Salar News
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