Police in Bhubaneswar say scammers are pasting fake QR stickers on shop counters and sending fake loan, fine and gas messages to empty bank accounts.
Police in Bhubaneswar, India, say cyber fraud is rising fast, and one of the simplest tricks is a sticker. Scammers are sneaking into shops and covering the real payment QR code with their own. Customers scan it, pay, and the money goes to the thief. The same police warning covers fake loan ads, cashback offers, traffic fine texts and gas booking calls.
The QR trick works because small shops depend on QR codes. Many use a speaker that announces each payment, but in a crowded shop the staff may not hear it. That gives a fraudster time to swap a sticker unnoticed. The other scams reach people by phone, with no face-to-face contact at all. Police described these main types:
The loan ads promise low interest rates. Clicking the link in them can give criminals access to personal data on your phone. Victims also report being asked for upfront processing and registration fees, after which the scammer stops replying. Cashback and gas messages work by getting you to share personal or account details. The fake fine messages push you to act in a hurry, which is exactly what the scammer wants.
Anyone who pays by QR code or a UPI-style payment app could be caught. Shoppers at small stores are exposed to the sticker swap. Borrowers are the target of the loan ads. Vehicle owners may get the fake fine texts, and households that book gas cylinders may get the fake calls. Shop owners are affected too, since a swapped sticker means their sales are going to someone else.
Bhubaneswar DCP Saravana Vivek M advised people to verify messages or calls from unknown numbers before replying, and to check QR codes before scanning. The alert box above lists the exact steps, including the national helpline number to call if you lose money.
The report gives no figures on how many people have been scammed or how much money has been lost. It also does not say whether police have made arrests. It describes the situation in Bhubaneswar only, so it is unclear how far the same wave has spread.
Before you scan a QR code or tap a link about a loan, fine or gas booking, stop and check it is real, and never share OTPs or PINs.
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