Airtel Fiber: Got cheated by Airtel employee

Ssreek said:
Next day Airtel guy called me, explained plan details and said if I pay 3 months advance rental amount, no need to pay installation charges.
So I submitted all docs and paid the amount. He asked me to pay to his UPI number (Rs.3.5k).
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The part I don't understand is why you did not make this payment to Airtel ?

Why to his UPI number?

I don't have UPI so it would be either directly Airtel or nothing.
 
blr_p said:
The part I don't understand is why you did not make this payment to Airtel ?

Why to his UPI number?

I don't have UPI so it would be either directly Airtel or nothing.
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All ISPs I have earlier used, collected money from their agents only. And this airtel guy said I can pay to Upi or cash. Even my neighbor who paid in similar way to jio, didn't face any problem.

I too got this doubt and called their customer care later and they said it's fine.
 
Ssreek said:
In my case, taking airtel itself was a mistake.
I asked their customer care if it's okay sending money to employee, they said it's okay take receipt when paying in cash.

I'm really shocked how airtel doesn't care about the issue by giving generic replies. It won't take them 1 minute to find the employee and ask him what's going on, as I provided all the details. Nah, they won't do it.
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Since you did not take a receipt for the exact amount, it'll be difficult to prove that the guy scammed you since you transferred money out of your own volition.
 
One suggestion:
Try to make it sound like you're trying to prove that Airtel knowingly shared the contact details with the guy that scammed you, and now trying to hide the matter.
Because otherwise no way for him to get to know you are looking for Airtel connection, right? You only contacted Airtel directly for a connection.
File a complaint at https://cybercrime.gov.in/. Mention every phone number, attach all conversation screenshots.

Download the complaint copy in pdf. Attach it to your every conversation going forward.

Upload it to drive and link it in tweets, mention @Cyberdost on Twitter. (Along with both Airtel India handles).
 
napstersquest said:
One suggestion:
Try to make it sound like you're trying to prove that Airtel knowingly shared the contact details with the guy that scammed you, and now trying to hide the matter.
Because otherwise no way for him to get to know you are looking for Airtel connection, right? You only contacted Airtel directly for a connection.
File a complaint at https://cybercrime.gov.in/. Mention every phone number, attach all conversation screenshots.

Download the complaint copy in pdf. Attach it to your every conversation going forward.

Upload it to drive and link it in tweets, mention @Cyberdost on Twitter. (Along with both Airtel India handles).
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This might work.
My wife got scammed of 18000 just a few weeks ago, and we have lodged complaint with bank and cybercrime portal. The complaint gets passed to local police office, and since it's a trackable auditable complaint, they cannot escape easily.
It'll be easier for you since you've the scammers' name and phone number (which also gets lodged on the portal).
Also raise an INGRAM complaint after cybercrime.
 
Ssreek said:
All ISPs I have earlier used, collected money from their agents only. And this airtel guy said I can pay to Upi or cash. Even my neighbor who paid in similar way to jio, didn't face any problem.
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His UPI number is the point I'm making. Since you weren't paying cash i don't understand why to HIS account. That's the red flag right there.
Ssreek said:
I too got this doubt and called their customer care later and they said it's fine.
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They did not give Airtel's details instead ? It seems unwieldy. Isn't it easier if they used an Airtel account instead of individuals collecting money like this
 
napstersquest said:
One suggestion:
Try to make it sound like you're trying to prove that Airtel knowingly shared the contact details with the guy that scammed you, and now trying to hide the matter.
Because otherwise no way for him to get to know you are looking for Airtel connection, right? You only contacted Airtel directly for a connection.
File a complaint at https://cybercrime.gov.in/. Mention every phone number, attach all conversation screenshots.

Download the complaint copy in pdf. Attach it to your every conversation going forward.

Upload it to drive and link it in tweets, mention @Cyberdost on Twitter. (Along with both Airtel India handles).
Click to expand...

I got sms from Airtel that same guy will assist me in taking airtel connection. Even in the order it shows his agent id which is his registered phone number with airtel.

Is cyber crime complaint the right way or Ingram complaint?
 
alekhkhanna said:
This might work.
My wife got scammed of 18000 just a few weeks ago, and we have lodged complaint with bank and cybercrime portal. The complaint gets passed to local police office, and since it's a trackable auditable complaint, they cannot escape easily.
It'll be easier for you since you've the scammers' name and phone number (which also gets lodged on the portal).
Also raise an INGRAM complaint after cybercrime.
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Well for individual scammer it might not work every time, especially for such low amounts. But yeah it gets lodged with local police and they do take your statement and file an FIR. They also try to get KYC details from the bank the money got deposited to, if the recipient's bank co-ordinates.
But if you lodge a complaint a big name as Airtel, bells start ringing in their ranks. They care about their reputation so much more than losing one customer.
 
Ssreek said:
Is cyber crime complaint the right way or Ingram complaint?
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Why not both?
You can complain about UPI fraud on cybercrime portal.
Attach photographs from Profile Pictures etc if available.
I also had his picture from our society's app (sales people have to register with their phone and picture at the gate).
 
Ssreek said:
I asked their customer care if it's okay sending money to employee, they said it's okay take receipt when paying in cash.
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If you have the receipt then why isn't Airtel accepting you already made the payment.
Ssreek said:
While everything went well for the first month, in the 2nd month I got billed.
I contacted airtel and they said the first 30 days were free. They said only 1500 was deposited in my account and they deducted it as installation charges.
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They are rejecting their own receipt then?
 
blr_p said:
If you have the receipt then why isn't Airtel accepting you already made the payment.

They are rejecting their own receipt then?
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It's a UPI receipt sent to his own mobile number, which is also his AgentID.
blr_p said:
His UPI number is the point I'm making. Since you weren't paying cash i don't understand why to HIS account. That's the red flag right there.

They did not give Airtel's details instead ? It seems unwieldy. Isn't it easier if they used an Airtel account instead of individuals collecting money like this
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I didn't expect to be scammed this way with Airtel. I mean such a big company must have properly nurtured their employees in doing their job.
Even local ISP guys who usually collect cash, never did such a thing with me or anyone in my apartment.
This airtel guy probably done such things earlier and might be successful in such scam, otherwise how bold he is to not even answer the call.
Two customer care guys put me in conference and called that guy and he didn't answer them as well. But still he is working in airtel.
 
napstersquest said:
Why not both?
You can complain about UPI fraud on cybercrime portal.
Attach photographs from Profile Pictures etc if available.
I also had his picture from our society's app (sales people have to register with their phone and picture at the gate).
Click to expand...
I am new to these type of scams and police complaints.. Thanks for clarifying.

I lost any hope on airtel to resolve the issue meanwhile some my friends keep saying leave it, why take risk and huge effort for Rs.2000, just leave it...
I don't know what to do.
blr_p said:
Why is Airtel refusing to accept you made the payment ?
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Airtel customer care is not refusing the payment.

I talked to 4 to 5 people till now. The conversation they do is usually like this.
"Okay sir no problem even if u paid in UPI", "Okay sir, no issues, we will make the guy refund the amount to you", "okay sir, no need to worry just share the UPI receipt", "Okay sir we have escalated the issue to higher-ups".
After emailing and further explaining, I will get SMS saying issue is resolved and complaint is closed :(
Happened thrice.
 
Ssreek said:
I am new to these type of scams and police complaints.. Thanks for clarifying.

I lost any hope on airtel to resolve the issue meanwhile some my friends keep saying leave it, why take risk and huge effort for Rs.2000, just leave it...
I don't know what to do.
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No risks here. What you are doing is costing you time, that's it. You deserve that money to be refunded, and just change the means of complaints. Instead of spending time talking to same people continuously, just fill up those forms once and for all. Police are very friendly in such situations, trust me. Been there.


That one complaint pdf will have a huge impact.
 
Ssreek said:
I have zero hopes on police and I don't think they will even listen to me at all considering the issue and the money lost. I will try this as a lost resort.
Everyday this is like a headache for me. I don't like that their own employee cheated and they wouldn't take any action and the guy continues his work without facing any consequences.
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Telangana State Police

www.tspolice.gov.in www.tspolice.gov.in

Make an account and lodge a petition online with Telangana Police website.
Share screenshots, his name and mobile number. After you submit it, a constable or someone from Police will call you asking what happened.
Since it's lodged on police website, they can't close the complaint just like that.
Most probably they'll call both parties to Police Stn. You can ask for refund from the guy on the spot.
 
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