Udupi Job and KYC Scams: Victims Lose Over ₹10 Lakh in Online Frauds

Udupi Sees Spike in Digital Job and KYC Scams: Victims Lose Over ₹10 Lakh

Udupi, August 6, 2025 — A fresh wave of online frauds has hit Udupi, with three separate complaints lodged involving fake job offers and KYC update scams, leading to a combined financial loss of over ₹10.8 lakh.

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Instagram Job Scam: Woman Loses ₹7.63 Lakh

In one of the most severe incidents, a woman named Renuka fell victim to a job scam originating on Instagram. On July 18, while watching job-related content, she clicked a link that redirected her to a Telegram channel.

Renuka was asked to submit her personal details, bank account information, and complete online "tasks" as part of the so-called job. Initially, she was repaid small sums to gain her trust. But over time, the scammers tricked her into transferring a total of ₹7.63 lakh.

A case has been registered at the Manipal Police Station, invoking:

• Sections 316(2), 318(4), 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)

• Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act

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Fake Job Offer via Phone: Man Loses ₹2.86 Lakh

In another complaint filed on July 24, Mallappa, a resident of Udupi, alleged he was contacted by a person posing as a representative from a company called Rent.com. The caller promised a job and instructed Mallappa to transfer funds via UPI and RTGS.

Believing the offer to be genuine, Mallappa sent:

• ₹50,000 via UPI

• ₹1.36 lakh via RTGS

• Another ₹1 lakh via RTGS on August 1

After receiving no job offer or refund, a case was registered at the Udupi Town Police Station under:

• Section 318(4) of BNS

• Section 66(D) of the IT Act

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KYC Fraud: ₹33,700 Lost Over Fake SBI Credit Card Update

In a third case reported on July 31, a man named Praveen received a call claiming his SBI credit card KYC needed updating. He was sent a link and asked to enter his details and OTP.

Soon after, ₹33,700 was debited from his credit card account.
A case was filed under:

• Section 318(4) of BNS

• Section 66(D) of the IT Act
  at Udupi Town Police Station

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Police Advisory & Next Steps

Udupi Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant, especially when dealing with unsolicited links, job offers from unknown numbers, or any request to share OTPs.

They advise:

• Never share bank or card details over WhatsApp, Telegram, or unknown links

• Verify any job offer or KYC request via official channels

• Report suspected scams immediately to the nearest police station or cybercrime helpline (1930)

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Summary of Losses: