A young engineering graduate wanted to sell his old sofa set for Rs 10,000.
He posted an ad on a website.
He got a call from a man who introduced himself as Rakesh Kumar Sharma, claiming to be a local furniture dealer.
If you’ve ever tried to sell old furniture online, here’s a cautionary tale you should read before listing your next item. A young engineering graduate recently fell victim to a cyber fraud that cost him Rs 5.22 lakh, all because he tried to sell an old sofa set online. Keep reading to know how the scam unfolded and how to avoid falling for such frauds.
Sampad Subhra Jena, a 21-year-old who just completed his BTech, wanted to sell his old sofa set for Rs 10,000, reports TOI. On May 8, he posted an ad on a website. Not long after, he got a call from a man who introduced himself as Rakesh Kumar Sharma, claiming to be a local furniture dealer. The caller negotiated the price to Rs 8,000 and then asked Jena to share his bank details for the payment.
That’s when things started going wrong. The fraudster told Jena that the payment didn’t go through and asked for more account details. Jena even shared his mother’s bank information. The scammer later claimed that money had been wrongly transferred to his own account from Jena’s mother’s bank.
Also read: Retired govt official falls for digital arrest scam, loses Rs 4.2cr: Here’s how it happened
“Alarmed, Jena arranged Rs 1.50 lakh from his friends to maintain sufficient balance as instructed by the scammer. On May 10, the fraudster informed Jena that Rs 5.22 lakh had been accidentally debited from their accounts and promised to return the money in cash,” the report said.
However, he never came and became unreachable. Soon, Jena and his mother realised that Rs 5,21,519 had been drained from multiple accounts.
Also read: Mumbai businessman loses Rs 2.3cr after falling for fake stock trading ad: How to be safe
How to avoid falling for such scams
- Never share your bank details or OTPs with strangers, even if they seem genuine.
- Avoid clicking on links or scanning QR codes sent by unknown people.
- Use only trusted platforms for buying or selling items.
- If something feels suspicious, stop the communication and contact your bank or local cyber police.
- Always double-check payment claims before taking action.
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Ayushi Jain
Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile
