Mumbai Cyber Crime: Mumbai Woman Duped of ₹2.07 Lakh in Online Shopping Refund Scam

In a concerning case of cybercrime, fraudsters have found a new way to deceive online shoppers by misusing genuine purchase details. A 27-year-old woman from Sion fell victim to such a scam and lost ₹2.07 lakh. She had ordered garments online when she received a call from someone posing as a company representative, who quoted her exact order details to gain her trust. The caller claimed her delivery would take several months unless she cancelled and reordered. Promising an instant refund, he convinced her to make multiple payments through a digital wallet app while citing “system errors” and “failed refunds.” The victim even shared her account details, IFSC code, and OTPs under the pretext of processing the refund, only to later discover she had been duped.

According to police, the fraud highlights a worrying trend where cybercriminals piggyback on legitimate shopping transactions to appear authentic. Investigators suspect that the scammer may have accessed the woman’s order details through a data leak involving third-party delivery services, logistics providers, or even compromised seller databases. Other possibilities include phishing malware or unsafe apps that capture sensitive customer information. Authorities have strongly advised citizens to avoid sharing OTPs, account details, or processing refunds outside official shopping apps, regardless of how convincing the caller sounds. They emphasized that no company directly asks customers to share OTPs or transfer money for refunds, and any such request should be treated as a red flag.