Thread by @ProsaicView

Anatomy of a scam. Because Goibibo doesn't have a customer email id or a number where one can put in a refund request, I had been forced to use Twitter. They responded and took all the details. Within seconds, I got a second DM from a Twitter handle Goibibo Refund team. 1/n

2/n Saying that they were looking into my complaint and someone would call me on my mobile number. Next morning I got a call, where the person had the necessary details of my complaint....

3/n They asked me to download the Goibibo app from the Google Playstore. However, I do not know how they managed to ensure that the app would not download....

4/n This was just when I was rushing for a meeting and they said it would take two minutes and sent me a link to the Goibibo app via Whatsapp and asked me to download and verify my phone number which would also show the details of the Goibibo account

5/n The Whatsapp number was from a business account which had the Goibibo logo and everything. The number was 9437815736. As I had been in conversation with Goibibo members for the last two days, I did not realise I was downloading an app which could control my phone

6/n The moment I got a msg from ICICI Bank about a Rs 99000 transaction to an account in Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, @UjjivanBank I promptly knew it was a fraud transaction and disconnected and called ICICI Bank fraud complaint number

7/n But even before they could block my card and bank account from further transactions, the scamsters had managed four more transactions -- three to a merchant called Indagold for Rs 102000 each and one more to @UjjivanBank

8/n Three payments (Indiagold) went through the Paytm gateway, while the two to the Ujjivan account went through CCAvenues gateway...

9/n So I have filed a complaint with the UP Cybercrime cell (very helpful officer by name of Mohit Kumar) and been following up with ICICI Bank and Paytm to ensure money is not credited to the merchant and is stopped here itself...9/n

10/n Paytm has got back with details saying the merchant concerned was this one FLAT WHITE CAPITAL PRIVATE LIMITED
ADDRESS-A-74, Panchvati Apartments, Vikas Puri, New Delhi 110018 West Delhi West Delhi, West Delhi, Delhi India- 110018
MOBILE NO.-9310366544

11/n Remember this happened in the space of 5 minutes and I am still struggling to see if the money went through or was stopped from being transacted. I will know what happens to my money over the next few days

So I would have realised the call was a fraud if Goibibo had sent me details of their refund process within 24 hours after I first complained. My complaint was on Sunday evening and I had been following up but they swung into action with details only after I reported the crime..

And ICICI Bank tells me that they raised a complaint with Paytm and CCavenues immediately after I complained. But they have no idea whether the transactions were blocked or not -- even though my complaint was done within 5 minutes of the transactions

And that 5 minutes was the time taken for their people to pick up my call, take down my complaint etc .. which is what it would take because they also need to verify you are a genuine person

I normally never transact from mobile if possible but increasingly new age digital companies prefer to operate through their apps and not through a proper email or customer care centre

Final two tweets on this subject tonight -- to give cyber cell complete details, you need transaction details like exact time, merchant name etc -- none of which is possible easily if you have blocked your account and debit card immediately...

I finally got the details thanks to someone senior in ICICI Bank I knew personally -- and because the cyber police officer had told them precisely why he needed it. Otherwise it would be near impossible