Bengaluru techie loses Rs 1.6 lakh while searching for house on rent in city

The man revealed that he was lured into paying an extra Rs 1.6 lakh in a total of eight installments by online transactions.(Representational Photo).

In a horrifying case of cyber crime in Bengaluru, a techie lost Rs 1.6 lakh to cyber criminals during his hunt for a new house in the city. The man, who was from Kolkata recently secured a high-paying role in a leading IT firm in the city and was due to start working there from June 1.

"My girlfriend and I planned to move to Bengaluru and I was looking online for rented houses. I spotted an attractive offer on real estate portal NoBroker about a flat in Marathahalli. The monthly rent was Rs 25,000 and two months’ rent had to be paid in advance. I called the contact number provided and the owner identified himself as an Indian Army officer posted in Mumbai," he told The Times of India.

"The Army officer connected me to someone who he claimed was the manager of his Bengaluru flat and the duo asked me to make a deposit of Rs 4,000 to seal the deal, which I did through GooglePay. They told me it was a (government) granted property and I needed to secure a paid visiting pass to come and see it; they said the sum was refundable.  I believed them as I trusted the portal, which seemed to be reputed," he added.

The man revealed that he was lured into paying an extra Rs 1.6 lakh in a total of eight installments by online transactions.

NoBroker have removed the advertisement of the flat, but blamed the customer for paying the owner several time without visiting the property or even meeting the person.

Also read: Bengaluru techie who earns Rs 58 lakh per annum says he feels 'lonely, overwhelmed'