Ernakulam (Kerala): Kalamassery police in Kochi have arrested five people, including a woman, for allegedly committing fraud using a fake UPI application. The arrested individuals have been identified as Rubin, Ajsal Amin, Mohammed Anas, and Rubina, all from Koyilandy, and Visakh, a resident of Thiruvananthapuram.
The gang targeted clothing stores, hotels, and other establishments. Their method involved making purchases and then showing staff a screenshot created from a fake UPI app, falsely indicating that the payment had been successfully processed, although the money never reached the shopkeepers’ accounts. It is reported that they used the same fraudulent tactic when booking rooms at a lodge.
Purchased goods from various shops
The accused purchased various goods, including clothing, from several shops in the Elamakkara area of Kalamassery. The scam was uncovered when suspicious hotel owners detained the suspects and handed them over to the police.
Police also obtained visuals showing the accused misleading staff at a clothing store, convincing them that the bill amount was paid through UPI. Following this, the police launched an investigation and subsequently made arrests.
Software Created for Fraud
The Assistant Commissioner of Police in Thrikkakara stated that the accused had created a fake app using specialized software to target ordinary merchants. The ACP stressed that a major fraud syndicate had been disrupted at an early stage and that the full extent of the operation would be revealed only after detailed interrogation of the arrested individuals.
The arrests follow a similar UPI fraud attempt recently reported in Alappuzha, where the target was hotels and resorts. In that case, scammers would call to book a room and then send a screenshot of a UPI transaction, claiming they had accidentally transferred more than the required advance amount of ₹10,000, and then request a refund. This attempt failed when the hotel owner became suspicious and cross-checked the bank statement.
