Airport Scam: Woman loses ₹87,000 while trying to access lounge at Bengaluru airport

Bhargavi Mani, a passenger at Bengaluru International Airport, recently fell victim to a scam, losing over ₹87,000 while attempting to access an airport lounge. In a viral video, she shared that she had shown a photo of her credit card to the lounge staff, who then instructed her to download an app and complete a facial scan, allegedly for security reasons. Unfortunately, this was a scam.

Ms Mani downloaded an app named "Lounge Pass" but opted not to use the lounge and instead went to Starbucks for a coffee. Later, she noticed her phone was not receiving calls, initially assuming it was a network issue. However, when strangers began answering her calls, she realised something was amiss. After investigating, she discovered that ₹87,000 had been withdrawn from her credit card and transferred to a PhonePay account. She suspects that the scammers used the app to gain access to her phone, intercept calls, and steal one-time passwords (OTPs) to carry out the fraudulent transactions.

In a follow-up video, Ms Mani clarified that she does not hold Bengaluru International Airport or its staff responsible for the incident. She also mentioned that the airport authorities have contacted her and are assisting in resolving the issue. She has reported the scam to the cybercrime department, informed her bank, and blocked her card.

In another incident earlier this month, a businessman in Chennai nearly lost Rs 2 crore in a sophisticated email scam. Scammers sent a fake email posing as the businessman’s supplier, deceiving him into transferring Rs 2 crore to a fraudulent account. The email appeared authentic as it continued an existing conversation and even included a counterfeit invoice.

The businessman only realised it was a scam after contacting the actual supplier the following day. He promptly reported the fraud to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, and with swift action by the cybercrime team, the stolen money was recovered.

What can you do if you're scammed

If you suspect that you've been scammed, report it immediately by calling the Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or by filing a complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in. In the case of the Chennai businessman, quick reporting facilitated the recovery of his money, but not everyone is as fortunate. Always double-check emails and verify payment requests, especially when large sums are involved.