The scammer threatened his targets with property tax fines and case filings unless immediate payments are made via PhonePe
Karimnagar(Jagtial): Businessmen in the district fell prey to fraudulent phone calls, who claimed to be municipal officials, and made payments to them.
The scammer threatened his targets with property tax fines and case filings unless immediate payments are made via PhonePe.
Alarmed by the suspicious nature of the call, a business owner reached out to municipal officials, who confirmed that no such calls had been made by their office. They clarified that tax payments should only be processed in person at the municipal office.
In another instance, a resident received a similar call demanding Rs 3,000 for both property tax and trade license renewal. The resident contacted the ward officer, who confirmed that the call was a scam. Several other people and business owners have received similar calls from the same number.
Meanwhile, municipal commissioner Chiranjeevi said that payments for property tax can be made directly at the Mee Seva Centres or directly at the municipal office.
He emphasised that no payments should be made over phone. Even if the caller's number appears as the municipal commissioner's name on True-caller app, he urged people not to trust these calls.
Cybercrime experts highlight the rise of such scams, especially during festive seasons, and warn people to be cautious about unsolicited calls or messages requesting payments. Recently, scammers used the "PM Kisan" scheme name to lure people into clicking malicious links that compromised their devices.
