How a Bengal man lost Rs 4 lakh in minutes while trying to book a cab through Google search

A resident of West Bengal fell prey to a sophisticated online scam while trying to book transportation in Udupi, Karnataka, losing a substantial sum of Rs 4.1 lakh. Desperately seeking a car rental service, the man turned to Google, where he clicked on a link supposedly for “Shakti Car Rentals.” According to local reports, the man unknowingly entered his bank details on a fraudulent car rental website that appeared in Google search results, leading to unauthorized transactions on his accounts, a TOI report stated.

Scam through fake car rental website

The incident began when the man searched online for car rental services and came across a site called “Shakti Car Rentals.” After clicking the link, he was contacted by a person posing as a company representative named Rohit Sharma. The representative instructed him to pay a nominal Rs 150 registration fee as a token amount through the website.

Despite multiple attempts to complete the payment using his debit and credit cards, the man didn’t receive any one-time password (OTP) required for verification. However, he soon received notifications from his banks alerting him to multiple debits from his accounts. According to the victim, Rs 3.3 lakh was deducted from his SBI credit card, and an additional Rs 80,056 was withdrawn from his Canara Bank debit card, totaling a loss of Rs 4.1 lakh.

Police investigation underway

Following the incident, a case was filed at the Udupi Town police station. Law enforcement authorities are now investigating the matter to identify those responsible and determine how the fraudulent website evaded detection.

Understanding online card fraud tactics

Debit and credit card frauds have become increasingly sophisticated, with scammers employing various tactics to trick people into providing their financial details. In this case, the scam appeared as a legitimate website in Google search results, designed to gather sensitive information such as card numbers and CVV codes. Once these details are entered, scammers can access bank accounts, making unauthorized purchases or withdrawals.

Google’s efforts to tackle fake listings

Google has taken several measures to address fake listings that lead to scams like this. Earlier this year, the company developed a new algorithm specifically aimed at identifying and removing fraudulent listings. This technology works by detecting suspicious patterns and anomalies, which alert Google’s investigative team to potential scams.

In a recent report, Google stated, “Once we pinpointed patterns, like what categories of businesses were being targeted, we refined our algorithms to help protect hundreds of targeted businesses from the bad actors.” The algorithm is part of a broader effort by Google to prevent users from falling victim to fake listings and fraudulent activity on its platform.

Precautions for users

Authorities and online platforms continue to advise users to exercise caution when making online payments. Verifying websites, avoiding unfamiliar sites, and being cautious with sharing personal information online are essential steps to reduce the risk of falling victim to scams.