In yet another case of internet fraudsters deceiving credit card users, a new online air ticketing fraud has surfaced in northern parts of India. Shockingly, over 20 credit card users in Chennai have fallen prey to it and have lost sums ranging from Rs. 6,000 to Rs 2.12 lakh each in the last two months.
According to sources with the Central Crime Branch of the city police, the first such case was reported in April after a victim in Chennai received an SMS alert that an air ticket from Mumbai to Delhi had been purchased using his credit card.
Over 20 such complaints followed in just 50 days, after which the CCB setup special police teams to conduct a thorough probe. “All victims had used their debit or credit cards to make online purchases in the last few months. Preliminary investigations revealed that confidential information by them to the concerned websites had been hacked by internet fraudsters operating overseas,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (CCB) C. Sridhar.
One of the victims was a city-based software professional who lost Rs. 2.12 lakh after his credit card details were used to purchase six tickets from Mumbai to Kolkatta for different flights. Others have lost a few thousands in the ticketing fraud.
Mr. Sridhar added that the card data were suspected to have been sold to some fraudulent travel agents in different parts of the country.
