A Punjab Sessions Court judge was scammed of Rs 12,000 in a Bengaluru guesthouse booking, paying twice online, but arriving to find no room allotted, exposing a shocking cyberfraud.
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BENGALURU: A sessions court judge from Punjab lost Rs 12,150 after falling prey to a sophisticated online booking fraud in Bengaluru.
The judge had attempted to reserve a room at the Kumara Park Guesthouse through what appeared to be an official channel. He made two online transactions in advance, Rs 6,000 and Rs 6,150, only to discover upon arrival that no booking had been made in his name.
Sources reveal that the judge initially sought assistance from a senior IPS officer in Karnataka, who reached out to a DIGP-rank officer at the CID to secure the reservation. The DIGP delegated the task to his office assistant, who, while searching online, found a website and phone number (93329135198) claiming to be the Kumara Park Guesthouse.
Believing it to be legitimate, the assistant called the number, identifying herself as calling from the DIGP’s office and requesting a room for the judge. The fraudster assured her a booking would be made, asking for the judge’s details, including ID proof.
Later, when the judge personally contacted the same number, the fraudster instructed him to pay Rs 6,000 initially and later Rs 6,150, providing a bank account for the transfers. Confident that the booking was secure, the judge made the payments.
However, upon arriving at the guesthouse on September 6, he was informed by the staff that no booking existed in his name. The fraud became evident only after he showed the bank transaction details. Attempts to reach the number again failed as the phone was switched off, confirming the scam.
Authorities confirmed that both the website and phone number were fake. A senior police officer stated,
“We have blocked the website and are making all efforts to catch the culprit.”
