Woman thwarts Google Pay scam bid after identifying scammer's mistake: 'My alarm bells have gone off'. Viral thread

The past few years have witnessed a surge in the menace surrounding Unified Payment Interface (UPI) users losing large amounts of money to scammers, posing as family members and acquaintances.

However, a recent incident may offer a ray of hope for others after a woman in Mumbai managed to stop herself from getting scammed after identifying a key red flag in the scammer's method to take money from her.

Narrating the experience over a thread on X(formerly Twitter), the woman named Tamanna wrote how she managed to thwart a scam bid over Google Pay after identifying an error made by the scammer.

"Omg guys, someone recently tried to scam me with UPI. I was at my parents'. My dad and I had just discussed about maturing investments and what to do next with it."

"He had just left the house. I get a call from some guy who said he got my number from my dad," she wrote.

Omg guys, someone recently tried to scam me with UPI.

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I was at my parents'. My dad and I had just discussed about maturing investments and what to do next with it.

He had just left the house.

I get a call from some guy who said he got my number from my dad...

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— Tamanna (@itssynecdoche) January 5, 2024

The woman further wrote that the scammer had to send some LIC money to her father and was told by him to transfer the money to his daughter.

... because my dad said he is not on Gpay and I am (which is true).

Side note: I assumed that he took my dad's name but now I am unsure.

He said he had to send my dad some LIC money and that he asked him to transfer it to me instead.

I didn't suspect anything till now.

— Tamanna (@itssynecdoche) January 5, 2024

The scammer informed the woman that he wanted to send her Rs 25,000 and wished to do so while they were on a call.

He said he called to confirm this is my number on Gpay. I said it is.

He said he has to transfer 25k and that he will like to do it while we are on the call so I can confirm to him that I got it.

Seemed legit enough so I said sure.

— Tamanna (@itssynecdoche) January 5, 2024

Unsuspecting the scammer, the woman gave the go-ahead and received Rs 20,000 in her account.

Right then I hear a notification on my phone.

Him (in hindi): "did you get it, beta?"

I ask him to hold so I can check but I can hear him rushing me as I move the phone away from my ear.

It's an SMS. Looks like this. pic.twitter.com/xTR52bkfzk

— Tamanna (@itssynecdoche) January 5, 2024

The scammer then informed the woman that he would send the remaining Rs 5,000. But instead of sending the remaining amount, the scammer transferred Rs 50,000 which was enough evidence for the woman to realise she was about to lose money.

In my rush to get back to him (he's still talking), I say yes I got it.

He says: "Good. Now I will transfer 5k."

I hear a woosh on her phone and he asks me to check if I got it again.

He is still rushing me while I move the phone away from my ear.

I have this second SMS. pic.twitter.com/1P77zVGA0B

— Tamanna (@itssynecdoche) January 5, 2024

I see 50k and my alarm bells have gone off. I know what's coming.

I get back to him and he is like "arre beta, I sent 50k instead of 5k. No worries. Can you send 45k back to me?"

Now I have caught on to him. I tell him I only have text, no money on Gpay.

— Tamanna (@itssynecdoche) January 5, 2024

Upon sharing a notification of the amount received on her phone, the woman informed the scammer that she was yet to receive the money. The scammer then asked the woman if he could send a screenshot to her, but she informed him that the two of them could wait until her father returned.

"I then tell him that I have a message on Gpay and not money. He asks me if I want to see a screenshot from him. I tell him why don't we wait till my dad's back and I will call him from his number to sort this. He's gone," she wrote.

The thread, which went viral, saw many reactions from users, some of whom recalled their own experiences with scammers.

"I had a similar experience- but I send the same msg with 45k back to him saying transferred and edited the SMS to same amount - exact same
amounts as you - tagged the number and cyber crime on Twitter," one user wrote.

"Yooo. A similar came a few weeks ago. In my case he did used my dad's name, so I'm pretty sure he knew your dad's name. Always ask for the policy number to cross check. Fortunately, I did not got scammed or anything," a second user wrote.