A Bengaluru woman lost Rs 87,000 in airport lounge scam.
The airport lounge staff instructed her to download an app called "Lounge Pass" and complete a facial scan for security purposes.
A few days later, she noticed something was wrong when her phone stopped receiving calls.
In today’s digital world, scams are becoming more sophisticated, and many people are falling victim to them without even realising it. This was the unfortunate experience of Bhargavi Mani, a resident of Bengaluru, who recently shared her story after becoming a victim of an international scam at Kempegowda International Airport.
In a viral video, Mani recounted her experience, which began when she couldn’t find her physical credit card before entering the airport lounge. In an attempt to gain access, she showed a photocopy of her card, but instead of letting her in, the lounge staff instructed her to download an app called “Lounge Pass” and complete a facial scan for security purposes.
Also read: Woman loses Rs 23.5 lakh in work-from-home scam: Here’s what happened and how to safeguard yourself
Trusting their request, Mani downloaded the app. However, she chose to abandon the lounge and grabbed a coffee at Starbucks instead. A few days later, she noticed something was wrong when her phone stopped receiving calls. Initially thinking it was a network issue, she grew alarmed when unknown individuals began answering her calls.
To her shock, she discovered unauthorised transactions totaling over Rs 87,000 had been made from her credit card, with the money moved to a PhonePe account. Mani realised she had likely downloaded malware through the “Lounge Pass” app, which allowed scammers to intercept her calls and collect vital information, like OTPs needed for transactions.
Acting quickly, Mani reported the fraud to the cybercrime department, alerted her bank, and blocked her credit card to prevent any further losses. Her experience serves as a warning to others: be cautious about sharing personal information and using unfamiliar apps. She shared essential safety tips, urging everyone to avoid downloading apps from untrusted sources and to be wary of unusual verification requests, like facial scans.
Bhargavi Mani hopes her story will raise awareness about airport scams and help others stay vigilant.
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Ayushi Jain
Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile
