14/01/2025
Digital scammers have came up with a new tactic in the region of , replacing legitimate 's at around 12 shops and a petrol pump with fake ones to redirect payments made by customers.
One person has been arrested within 72 hours after the fraud came to light, and the suspect was captured on CCTV footage.
The authorities swung into action when traders, including one Omvati Gupta, the operator of Rajesh Medical Stores, reported suspicious payments.
Gupta noticed that when a customer attempted to make a payment in the morning, the QR code displayed the name 'Chhotu Tiwari' instead of the legitimate store details.
This alerted her to the possibility of a scam. Gupta immediately replaced the fraudulent QR code with a new one and reported the incident to the police.
The fraud involved scammers who, under the cover of night, pasted fake QR codes over the legitimate ones on payment scanners installed outside various shops and a petrol pump in Khajuraho.
When customers attempted to make payments, the funds were redirected to the scammers, who had their own payment details embedded in the fake QR codes.
CCTV footage from Gupta’s medical store captured three masked men replacing the QR codes.
Similar incidents were reported at a local petrol pump, where customers experienced issues with payments not being credited to their accounts.
Upon investigation, it was found that the scammers had pasted fake QR codes over the original ones, redirecting payments to their own accounts.
The arrested suspect, identified as Chhotu Tiwari, a resident of village in the police station area of district, , was apprehended within 72 hours of the incident being reported.