QR code scam: Scammers swap stickers in Madhya Pradesh shops, divert payments in their accounts

(Representational Image)

In today's digital age, scammers are becoming increasingly tech-savvy. A new form of online fraud has surfaced in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, where deceitful individuals allegedly swapped out the QR codes placed outside various shops and business establishments overnight, diverting customer payments into their own accounts.

The issue came to light when shop owners noticed that payments made via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) were not showing up in their accounts, as reported by multiple media outlets.

Upon investigation, CCTV footage revealed that some culprits had tampered with the online payment scanners under the cover of darkness. Police confirmed that QR codes at several establishments, including petrol stations, had been replaced with fraudulent versions. In some instances, scammers simply placed new QR codes over the original ones, ensuring that the payments were funneled into their accounts, and the perpetrators remain unidentified.

News18 reported the ordeal of one of the victims, Omvati Gupta, who owns a medical store, managed to thwart the scam when a customer attempted to make a payment using the QR code in her shop. The customer alerted Gupta that the account name linked to the payment was different from hers.

Acting swiftly, Gupta removed the fake QR code and reviewed her CCTV footage, which captured the moment the miscreants replaced the code the night before. Her quick thinking not only prevented further losses but also served as a warning to other shopkeepers in the area.

In another similar case, staff at a petrol pump discovered a new QR code had been attached over the original one. According to an employee quoted in a News18 report said, customers were complaining that their payments were not being credited to the business account.

Atul Dixit, the officer in charge of Khajuraho police station, mentioned that while reports of these cheating incidents had come to his attention, no formal complaints had been filed by any traders yet. He assured that an investigation would be initiated, expressing optimism that the fraudsters would soon be apprehended.