Online scam: Mumbai woman loses Rs1.8 million after ordering 1 litre milk

Dubai: What began as a routine attempt to order a litre of milk online ended in financial devastation for a 71-year-old woman in Mumbai, who lost her entire savings of 1.8 million rupees (about $21,500) to an elaborate cyber-fraud.

Police said the woman, a resident of Wadala, received a call on August 4 from a man who introduced himself as “Deepak,” claiming to be an employee of a dairy company. 

He sent her a link and instructed her to enter her personal and banking details to complete the order, staying on the line for more than an hour as she followed his step-by-step directions.

The following day, investigators said, the fraudster called again, pressing her for additional information. 

Days later, during a routine visit to her bank, the woman discovered that a massive withdrawal had been made from one of her accounts.

A closer inspection revealed that two more accounts had also been drained, leaving her with nothing.

According to the police report, the scammer gained access to her financial data after she clicked the malicious link, which gave him remote control over her phone and entry to her banking apps.

The woman, who had spent a lifetime saving the stolen funds, filed a formal complaint. Police are now tracing the suspect, who remains at large.