Man loses Rs 3 lakh in scam pretending to be Swiggy customer service on Google

A distressing saga unfolded when an attempt to contact Swiggy 's customer service led an elderly gentleman into the clutches of an online scam, stripping him of Rs 3 lakh. The incident, which spiraled from a simple quest to resolve a missing food order, was brought to light by Nikhil Chawla , the victim's son, through a cautionary tale shared on social media to alert the public about the perils of cyber fraud .

The ordeal began innocently enough, with the senior citizen turning to Google in search of Swiggy's customer service number. Little did he know, the number he dialed was operated by con artists masquerading as Swiggy staff. An initial loss of Rs 35,000 through a UPI scam did little to deter him; his continued efforts to seek help only led him deeper into the trap. The scammers, seizing the opportunity, managed to remotely access his smartphone, siphoning off funds from his credit card and gaining entry to his bank details. The cumulative losses quickly ballooned to an estimated Rs 2.5-3 lakh.

In the aftermath, Nikhil utilized the platform X to broadcast a warning about the ever-lurking threat of online scams. He pinpointed the presence of fake contact numbers in Google search results as a significant risk factor and called for increased vigilance among internet users.

Responding to the outcry, Swiggy was quick to remind its customers that it does not operate an official customer care number, advising them instead to rely on in-app chat support for assistance. The company underscored the importance of reporting fraudulent activities to cybercrime authorities and affirmed its commitment to fighting against deceptive websites.

Despite Swiggy's assurances and actions, Nikhil highlighted the critical need for support accessible in various languages and greater awareness, especially for those not fluent in English. He thanked the community for its support and vowed to continue his advocacy to ensure no one else falls victim to such deceptive schemes in the future.