'Green tick' scam hits Kochi traders, police unable to identify UPI fraudsters

Kochi: A new "digital shoplifting" racket has sparked alarm among the merchant community in North Paravur in Ernakulam, exposing the vulnerabilities of cashless transactions. Dubbed the "Green Tick Scam" by the local merchants, the fraud involves a gang of youths who purchase goods and abscond after flashing a fake payment confirmation screen on their mobile phones, leaving traders with financial losses and a sense of helplessness.

The modus operandi is deceptively simple yet effective. The fraudsters target busy shops, claim to pay via Unified Payments Interface (UPI) apps, and quickly show the shopkeeper a mobile screen displaying a green "success" tick mark. By the time the merchant realises that no money has been credited to their account, the perpetrators would have already vanished.

The serial nature of the fraud came to light following a detailed complaint regarding an incident on October 31 at a two-wheeler spare parts shop in Thekkenaluvazhi, near Paravur Junction. Harris AH, the shop owner, recounted how his uncle, Abdul Samad, was managing the counter when two youths arrived on a motorcycle. To conceal their identities, one suspect kept his helmet on while the other wore a mask.

After selecting parts worth ₹1,680, the duo attempted to scan the shop's QR code but feigned a technical glitch, claiming their camera was malfunctioning. They then offered to send the money directly to the owner's phone number. Moments later, they flashed a "success" notification to the uncle and prepared to leave. However, the vigilant elderly man checked the account and found no credit.

"When confronted, the youths insisted the money was sent. My uncle phoned me to confirm, and I checked my phone only to find the amount was not credited," Harris told Onmanorama.

The fraudsters spoke to Harris from Samad's phone. When Harris demanded a screenshot of the transaction, the youths sent a text message claiming it was the bank alert message as proof of the transaction, from a different number. "The message contained spelling and grammatical errors, which made clear that it was a typed-out message rather than a bank alert," Harris said. 

Despite Harris telling them they could not leave without a valid screenshot, the youth handed the phone back to the uncle, abruptly declared that "everything is settled", and fled the scene. Although the uncle attempted to chase them on his bike, they managed to escape. Later, when Harris checked the CCTV footage, it was found that the youth's bike had no registration plate.

The fraud took a darker turn when Harris later dialled the number from which the fake payment text originated, but the response was hostile. The individual on the other end denied any knowledge of the transaction or the message, claiming to be a travel business owner based in Thrissur. When Harris warned of legal action, the scammer challenged him.

"The person threatened me, stating, 'Do whatever you want; I've seen plenty of cases like this,'" Harris said. He later filed a complaint with the police, but no case was registered.

The gang appears to be serial offenders focusing on the same locality. In a subsequent incident, two other youths or possibly different members of the same ring, returned to Harris's shop attempting to buy items worth ₹700. They repeated the tactic of showing a "tick" mark. However, a now-alert Harris verified his account immediately and stated the money hadn't come through. Realising their bluff was called, the youths claimed they would withdraw cash from a nearby ATM and left the goods behind, never to return.

However, the gang found success elsewhere. Last Friday, they targeted a battery shop located in the exact same building as Harris's establishment. Using the same modus operandi, they absconded with a battery worth ₹1,900. "When we checked the CCTV footage, it appears that the two youths who defrauded my uncle were the same ones who pulled the fraud at the battery shop," Harris said.

Police yet to register case
Despite merchants submitting CCTV footage that clearly links the same group to multiple incidents, and providing the phone numbers used by the suspects, the North Paravur Police have not yet registered a First Information Report (FIR).

Traders have expressed strong dissatisfaction, noting that the investigation is stagnant despite the recurring nature of the crime. Addressing the delay, a senior police officer from North Paravur cited legal technicalities regarding the value of the stolen goods.

"Since the amount of money looted is less than ₹5,000, we cannot register a cheating case; it needs to be registered as a theft case. But since the faces of the youths are unclear due to helmets and masks, we are trying to identify them first," an officer said.

The officer further revealed that the scam is not limited to retail shops. There are similar complaints from several hotels in the area where individuals dine and flee using the same fake payment trick.

The police have advised merchants to remain vigilant, noting that the fraudsters specifically target shops during peak hours when customers are crowded, hoping the owners won't have time to independently verify transactions.