Diwali Gift Card Scam: Bengaluru IT Professional Loses Rs 4.35 Lakh

During all the celebrations and fun around Diwali, people are there to take you under their scoundrel grip. IT professional Rakesh Kumar of Bengaluru proved this as he lost an astonishing Rs 4.35 lakh to a gift voucher scam from Apple.

The scam started when Kumar received a WhatsApp message from an impersonator posing as his UK-based boss. The message urged him to buy Apple gift vouchers for clients in India as a Diwali gesture. Keen to impress his new employer, Kumar obligingly purchased vouchers worth Rs 4.35 lakh and shared the codes with the scammer.

Also read: October 30: Diwali holiday begins for schools, colleges in these states!

But, soon his HR department started suspecting him, and Kumar knew he was cheated. He immediately complained to the Bellandur Cyber Crime branch in Bengaluru.

The Rise of Gift Card Scams

Gift card scams are on the rise because they are easy to commit and difficult to trace. Gift card scammers use phishing, impersonation, appeal to emotion, or promises of a reward to scam victims into purchasing gift cards and handing over the redemption codes.

Stay Safe

Prevention of becoming a victim of Gift Card scams

Verify some strange requests, especially money-related requests.
Be alerted whenever you encounter an "Urgent" message
Do not reply directly to someone's message; instead do it at the source directly
Always be alert concerning unknown numbers
Educate yourself and others
Pay attention as there are other days still left in the festive season and vigilance could best be one of the protection measures for avoiding gift card scams.

Also read: Diwali School Holidays 2024: State-Wise Breakdown from October 29!

Report Suspicion

Notify authorities if something seems amiss,
Local Cybercrime authorities 
Call your banker or financial authority
National Consumer Helpline Call 1800-11-4000

Also read: October 29, Dhanvantri Jayanti: National Ayurveda Day 2024 and Its Importance