A 19-year-old from Jaipur pulled off a “perfect” heist in Chandni Chowk, claiming he learned the trick from the Tamil blockbuster ‘Vettaiyan’. Here is how he fooled shopkeepers.
New Delhi: In a bizarre case of life imitating art, the Delhi Police have arrested a 19-year-old youth for duping shopkeepers using a high-tech QR code scam. The accused, identified as Manish Verma, claimed his unique modus operandi was inspired by the Tamil film Vettaiyan.
The “Invisible” Heist in Chandni Chowk
The scam came to light when a customer purchased a lehenga worth ₹2.5 lakh at a famous bridal store in Chandni Chowk. The customer scanned the shop’s QR code and paid ₹1.4 lakh via UPI.
- The Twist: The customer’s phone showed “Payment Successful.”
- The Problem: The shopkeeper never received the money.
When the shop owner checked his internal records, he realized the money had vanished. A police investigation revealed that the QR code on the counter had been subtly “tampered” with.
How He Did It (The Movie Connection)
According to DCP (North) Raja Banthia, Verma confessed during interrogation that he got the idea from a movie.
- The Swap: Verma would enter busy shops posing as a customer.
- The Edit: He would ask for the shop’s QR code (pretending to pay) or take a photo of it. Using AI editing tools, he would keep the shop’s name/logo visually identical but swap the underlying banking link to his own account.
- The Trap: He would then surreptitiously paste his “edited QR sticker” over the original one or send the edited image to the shopkeeper’s phone (if they were chatting on WhatsApp), tricking them into using his code for future payments.
The police recovered over 100 edited QR codes from his phone, indicating he was planning a much larger operation across the capital.
⚠️ Safety Alert: How to Protect Your Money
This scam is dangerous because the QR code looks genuine. Here is how to stay safe:
- For Shopkeepers:
- Sound Box is Mandatory: Do not rely on the customer’s screen. Use a “Sound Box” (Paytm/PhonePe speaker) that announces the payment aloud.
- Check the Sticker: Physically run your finger over your QR stand every morning to ensure no one has pasted a sticker over it.
- For Customers:
- Verify the Name: Before entering the PIN, cross-check the name displayed on your phone with the shopkeeper.
- Avoid “Gallery” Scans: If a shopkeeper sends you a QR code on WhatsApp, ask them to generate a fresh one on their machine instead.