Bengaluru: A 56-year-old businessman fell victim to a financial fraud right inside his commercial establishment. The Rajajinagar resident was duped out of Rs 81,000 by a conman posing as an official from digital payments company Paytm.The victim, Ramesh SR, operates a juice shop in Rajajinagar II Block. The incident unfolded during evening peak business hours when an unidentified man walked into the shop and approached Ramesh with a cost-saving proposition.“The suspect introduced himself as a Paytm representative. He targeted the monthly rental fee that merchants typically pay to use Paytm Soundbox — an audio device that alerts shopkeepers of successful digital transactions. The fraudster assured Ramesh that he could permanently waive the monthly subscription fee, making the service free of charge,” police said.Trusting the visitor’s credentials, Ramesh handed over his smartphone to let the “agent” update the settings. Ramesh became busy catering to a sudden rush of customers, leaving the suspect unmonitored with the unlocked device. The miscreant used this brief distraction to access Ramesh’s financial applications. He executed two rapid electronic fund transfers totalling Rs 81,000 before returning the phone and fleeing the premises.
