How Fake Helpline Numbers & Refund Scams Are Draining Bank Accounts
“The fraud doesn’t begin with technology. It begins with trust.”
🖊️ By Shubhra • 20th August, 2025 • Cybersecurity Awareness & Digital Safety
🔗 Read in Hindi
📦 The Refund Scam: How a Cancelled Order Emptied a Man’s Bank Account
It was a typical weekend for Ramesh, a 32-year-old professional in Delhi.
After a long workweek, he decided to order groceries and snacks on Blend (fictional). Within minutes, his cart was filled, and he placed the order.
But midway, Ramesh realized he didn’t really need some of the items. So, he quickly cancelled the order.
The app showed “Order Cancelled”, but when he checked his bank app, the refund hadn’t arrived instantly.
Impatient and worried, Ramesh thought—
“Maybe there’s a problem. I’ll just call Blend’s customer care.”
Like most of us would do, he opened Google and typed:
👉 “Blend customer care number.”
At the very top, a toll-free number popped up. It looked official, professional, and even had a small “Help Center” tag. Without hesitation, he dialed.
🎭 The Fake Support Call
A polite voice answered:
“Namaste Sir, Blend customer support here. Please tell me your issue.”
Ramesh explained his cancelled order and missing refund. The “executive” calmly replied:
“Don’t worry Sir, I’ll resolve this right away. Please download a small app called **Anydesk, it will help us verify your account details.”
Trusting the voice on the other end, Ramesh downloaded the app.
He entered a code, shared permissions, and within minutes, his phone screen was mirrored to the fraudster.
Soon after, his banking app started acting strangely. Notifications popped up, balance alerts followed, and then—
💸 his entire bank account was wiped out.
❓ What Really Happened
Ramesh had unknowingly fallen into a Customer Care Impersonation Scam, one of the fastest-growing frauds in India.
Here’s how:
- Fake helpline number – scammers run ads/websites that rank high on Google.
- Remote access apps like Anydesk, TeamViewer, QuickSupport enable them to control your device.
- Banking theft – they watch every move, steal OTPs/UPI PINs, and drain money instantly.
📌 Why This Scam Works
- People trust Google search results without verifying.
- Refund anxiety makes users act in haste.
- Fraudsters sound professional and polite.
- Remote access apps look harmless (they’re even on app stores).
⚠️ The Bigger Picture
This is not limited to groceries. Fraudsters use the same trick with:
- Swiggy, Zomato – refund issues
- Ola, Uber – ride cancellation
- IRCTC, Airlines – ticket refunds
- Paytm, PhonePe – wallet recharge issues
Thousands of Indians lose money each month because most brands don’t provide customer care numbers—and people instinctively search for one.
📰 Real-Life Cases
Uri Man Loses ₹5.45 Lakh (J&K)
A man from Uri, Baramulla, tried to cancel an airline ticket. He searched for a helpline number, downloaded Anydesk, and lost ₹5.45 lakh. Thankfully, Cyber Police Kashmir recovered it.
🔗 India Today
Army Officer Duped of ₹2 Lakh (Delhi)
A 45-year-old Army officer was tricked into installing HopToDesk. Fraudsters drained ₹2 lakh from his account.
🔗 Indian Express
Kolkata Man Loses ₹5 Lakh (PhonePe Scam)
Subhash Chandra Bala searched for PhonePe support. Fraudsters guided him to install RustDesk, then stole ₹5 lakh.
🔗 Times of India
Hyderabad Businessman Loses ₹2.93 Lakh
A businessman was tricked into downloading a fake support app. Nearly ₹3 lakh was stolen.
🔗 The Hindu
📊 Pattern in All Cases
✔ Victims searched for customer care on Google
✔ Told to install remote access apps
✔ OTPs and PINs were stolen
✔ Money vanished within minutes
🧾 Red Flags to Recognize
🚩 Helpline number on Google (instead of inside the app)
🚩 Asked to install Anydesk, QuickSupport, TeamViewer
🚩 Promises of instant refunds
🚩 Requests for OTP, PIN, or login details
🚩 Suspicious urgency or poor call quality
🔒 How to Stay Safe
✅ Always use in-app support
✅ Know refunds take 5–7 working days
✅ Never install remote apps for refunds, KYC, or verification
✅ If money is stolen:
- Call your bank immediately & block transactions
- Dial 1930 (National Cybercrime Helpline, India)
- File a report on cybercrime.gov.in
🎯 Takeaway
Scams don’t need hacking—they exploit trust + urgency.
If Ramesh had used the official support channel, he would still have his money.
👉 One wrong number cost him his entire savings.
⚖️ Disclaimer
The incidents above are for awareness purposes only.
The scams do not mean apps like Blinkit, Swiggy, Zomato, PhonePe, etc are unsafe. Fraudsters misuse fake numbers and remote access apps.
Always use official in-app support.
✍️ Author’s Note
Many people dismiss scams until they—or someone close—fall victim.
My goal with this blog is simple: educate before it’s late.
💡 Share it with your loved ones. The more people know, the fewer victims scammers can create.
— Shubhra (Author & Cybersecurity Enthusiast)
🔐 Stay safe. Stay happy.
🗣️ Discussion Prompt
💬 What’s your take on fake helpline scams?
Share and spread awareness.
© 2025 Shubhra Safi. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized use, reproduction, or redistribution of any part of this content is prohibited.
Top comments (0)