iPhone user loses Rs 87,000 after downloading 'Lounge Pass app' at Bengaluru airport

A woman was defrauded of Rs 87,000 while attempting to access a lounge at Bengaluru International Airport, highlighting the growing prevalence of cybercrime at public spaces. Bhargavi Mani, the victim, shared her ordeal in a viral video, warning others of the scam she fell prey to while travelling.

On September 29, Mani, who did not have her physical credit card, presented a photograph of the card at the lounge counter. The staff advised her to download an app called “Lounge Pass” and complete a facial recognition process for security purposes. However, what seemed like a standard procedure quickly turned into a well-executed scam. She later realised that the app was used to compromise her iPhone, allowing fraudsters to siphon money from her account.

Mani explained that after following the instructions, she did not use the lounge and instead visited a coffee shop at the airport. Days later, she noticed that she was no longer receiving phone calls. Initially assuming it was a network issue, the realisation of fraud came when people told her that a "male" answered her calls. Further investigation revealed that Rs 87,000 had been transferred from her credit card to a PhonePe account.

The scammers had likely gained access to her iPhone through the fraudulent app, setting up call forwarding and intercepting one-time passwords (OTPs) to make unauthorised transactions, according to Mani.

“I was travelling without my physical card, and the lounge staff directed me to download the app. I later realised they had used it to set up call forwarding and intercept OTPs for transactions,” she said. After discovering the fraudulent charges, Mani immediately reported the incident to the cybercrime department, informed her bank, and blocked her card to prevent further misuse.