BHOPAL: Digital scammers have came up with a new tactic in the Khajuraho region of Madhya Pradesh, replacing legitimate QR codes at around 12 shops and a petrol pump with fake ones to redirect payments made by customers.
One person has been arrested within 72 hours after the fraud came to light, and the suspect was captured on CCTV footage.
The authorities swung into action when traders, including one Omvati Gupta, the operator of Rajesh Medical Stores, reported suspicious payments.
Gupta noticed that when a customer attempted to make a payment in the morning, the QR code displayed the name ‘Chhotu Tiwari’ instead of the legitimate store details.
This alerted her to the possibility of a scam. Gupta immediately replaced the fraudulent QR code with a new one and reported the incident to the police.
The fraud involved scammers who, under the cover of night, pasted fake QR codes over the legitimate ones on payment scanners installed outside various shops and a petrol pump in Khajuraho.
When customers attempted to make payments, the funds were redirected to the scammers, who had their own payment details embedded in the fake QR codes.
CCTV footage from Gupta’s medical store captured three masked men replacing the QR codes.
Similar incidents were reported at a local petrol pump, where customers experienced issues with payments not being credited to their accounts.
Upon investigation, it was found that the scammers had pasted fake QR codes over the original ones, redirecting payments to their own accounts.
The arrested suspect, identified as Chhotu Tiwari, a resident of Aamli village in the Gursarai police station area of Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended within 72 hours of the incident being reported.
Several fake QR code stickers were recovered from him during the investigation. Police have also indicated that more people may be involved in this scam, and efforts are underway to apprehend them.
“Two more persons are to be arrested. We are examining the bank transactions. So far, they have received only Rs 1700 through the scam,” said Chhatarpur SP Agam Jain.
One of the traders in Narayan Market reported a loss of Rs 985 and Rs 1, which were stolen via fake QR codes pasted outside his shop.
The fraud was also detected at other locations, including Khajuraho Petrol Pump, Bade Bhaiya Paan Wale, and Rajesh Medical, where the fake QR codes were removed by the shopkeepers once they realized the scam.
Khajuraho Police has urged local businesses to remain vigilant and regularly inspect their QR code scanners.
