Crooks play on patriotism, con teacher and husband of Rs 2 lakh in Bengaluru | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: For Harini (name changed), a teacher who trains students in discipline and communication skills, the chance to teach at the Army Public School sounded like more than just a job. It felt like a patriotic duty.That sentiment, however, became the very tool fraudsters exploited. On July 9, Harini, a resident of Bandepalya, received a message in a WhatsApp group for trainers. The group, with members from across India, regularly shares job opportunities.The message claimed the Army Public School (APS) in Bengaluru was looking for a trainer in discipline and communication skills. A phone number was shared for contact.When Harini called, the man on the other end introduced himself as an APS administrative staffer. He explained the requirement, discussed her fees — Rs 5,000 per hour for two-hour work — and promised that the school’s in-charge would follow up.Soon, a WhatsApp voice call came from another number with the caller claiming to be from the APS campus on MG Road. He praised Harini’s profile and said the school wanted her services. But there was one “protocol”, he insisted: since this was an army institution, she needed to register as a vendor.Harini shared her Aadhaar number as requested. Then came the next step: digital payment registration. The fraudster told her that she had to link her UPI ID and complete an OTP process. Trusting the explanation, Harini entered the OTP and her PIN. Within seconds, Rs 26,000 was debited from her account.When she protested, the fraudster kept her on the call. To maintain the charade, he sent a fake military ID and kept invoking patriotism. “Jai Hind”, “Jai Indian Army” — the phrases were repeated, each time silencing Harini’s doubts.He then asked for an alternative phone number, promising to resolve the issue and Harini gave her husband Dinesh’s (name changed).But the same process, including playing on his patriotism, followed. This time, nearly Rs 1.9 lakh was drained from her husband’s account through four transactions. Within an hour, the couple lost more than Rs 2.1 lakh.Dinesh lodged a complaint with Bandepalya police Friday. The couple also contacted their bank and the national cybercrime helpline (1930). Police said a case has been registered under the Information Technology Act, 2000. Efforts are on to freeze the fraudster’s accounts.Investigators say the conmen preyed not just on trust, but on the couple’s emotions and sense of national pride.