Bank accounts are being drained under the guise of offering web series for just one rupee; find out about this new method of online fraud.

Cyber ​​Fraud via Web Series Offers: Cyber ​​fraudsters are increasingly exploiting the growing demand for digital entertainment. Online scammers are running enticing advertisements on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. These ads claim that users can watch trending movies, crime shows, or new episodes of web series for a subscription fee of just one rupee. Driven by curiosity, consumers who click on these ads often fall into the scammers' trap.

According to reports, the Indore Crime Branch has received over 72 such complaints in just one month. The scam unfolds when people, lured by the offer, click the link and enter their UPI, banking, or card details; this activates an 'auto-pay' mode on their accounts, leading to the deduction of a substantial amount of money.

How this 'one-rupee' scam works:
A two-minute video clip of a popular show is shared on social media with captions like "New Episode Out Now," "Watch Full Episode," or "Watch Live." A link is provided to watch the full video; clicking it redirects the user to a fake website or app. Before the video starts, the user is asked to pay a token amount ranging from ₹1 to ₹5. As soon as they enter their credit/debit card details, UPI PIN, or banking information on the payment page, cybercriminals steal the data. In many instances, UPI Autopay is activated without the user's knowledge, causing money to be automatically deducted from their account every month.

Case 1: Victim – Student Ankita Khare
She clicked a link to watch a crime show episode for one rupee. Upon making the payment via Google Pay, 'Auto-pay' mode was activated in the background, and money began getting deducted from her bank account monthly.

Case 2: Victim – Teacher Rajkumar
Clicking on a web series offer link triggered the download of a new app. Once the app was installed, his phone data was compromised, and ₹10,000 was deducted from his bank account. If you fall victim to a scam, take these immediate steps:

As soon as you realize you have been scammed, call the National Cyber ​​Crime Helpline number (1930) to lodge a complaint. File an online FIR by visiting the official website, cybercrime.gov.in. Immediately contact your bank's customer care to block your credit/debit cards, UPI, or net banking services. Preserve evidence such as screenshots of fraudulent posts, URLs, WhatsApp or Facebook profiles, transaction IDs, and messages to assist the police investigation.

Expert Azad Ahmed notes that scammers are now exploiting users' curiosity by leveraging Artificial Intelligence and social media trends, rather than relying on intimidation tactics. Consequently, clicking on unknown links promising cheap or free entertainment can be extremely dangerous; therefore, you should never click on such links.

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