TL;DR: Imagine heading for a relaxing lounge visit and leaving with ₹87,000 gone from your account! That’s exactly what happened to Bhargavi Mani, who unknowingly fell victim to a scam at Bengaluru Airport. Here’s how it went down—and what this means for all of us. 🧐
😱 How the Scam Unfolded
Ms. Mani, trying to access the lounge without a physical credit card, was directed to download an app and complete a facial scan—all of which seemed innocent. Little did she know, the Lounge Pass app was a scammer’s trap. While enjoying coffee at Starbucks ☕, she noticed calls weren’t coming through and assumed it was just a network glitch. Soon after, strangers answered her calls, and she discovered ₹87,000 stolen from her credit card and transferred to a PhonePe account.
📢 The Aftermath
Bhargavi quickly notified her bank, blocked her card, and reported the incident to cybercrime authorities. In a follow-up video, she clarified that Bengaluru Airport officials were not to blame and are actively helping her with the investigation.
This scam mirrors similar frauds elsewhere—like the Hong Kong “naked chat” scam, where victims were extorted for over ₹2 crore using compromising video calls. 🚨
🔒 MediaFx Opinion: Time for Accountability
Scams like these are becoming frighteningly common, leaving Indians wary of every call, app, and online interaction 😵. The government’s failure to address complaints and enforce cybersecurity measures has allowed scammers to act without fear. If these con artists faced serious consequences, scams of this scale wouldn’t be happening.
We need to demand stronger action—it’s time to stop feeling like fools and push back against fraud. Until then, trust no app, no unknown calls, and stay vigilant.
💬 Your Thoughts?
Ever been a victim of such fraud? How do you stay safe from online scams? Let us know!
