Beware of oxygen cylinder scam; B'luru police warns of fake verified leads [details]

As Karnataka has entered a complete lockdown after being unable to break the chain of COVID transmission for weeks now, Bengaluru has another worry lurking around the corners. As the Silicon Valley of India gasps for breath, shortage of oxygen and high demand for medical oxygen cylinders has wreaked havoc in the state's IT capital. Taking advantage of the grim situation are some scammers, who are using fake verified leads for oxygen as a trap.

The ground reality is a desperate situation and people are willing to go any lengths to procure oxygen and medicines needed for the treatment of COVID patients. Bengaluru Police has already busted several black-marketing rackets of anti-viral drug Remdesivir and even fake vials of the injection. Now, it is warning about a scam in the name of oxygen.

"Beware of the fake advertisements making rounds on social media as verified leads for oxygen. Scammers are duping desperate people in need. Report such false leads and contact only genuinely verified sources," Bengaluru Police tweeted along with two such leads that are trying to scam people.

Tricking desperate people is new scam

In times of desperation, social media has turned ground zero for help. People, as well as hospitals, are turning to social media platforms such as Twitter for help. People are seen flocking to apps like Telegram and WhatsApp, where there are groups aimed to provide verified leads to those in need. Amidst all the good work, there are those with tainted intentions who wish to make a quick buck out of people's miseries.

Oxygen cylinder leads are one of the most circulated leads on social media and demand hasn't slowed down. When people turn to social media for leads on oxygen cylinders, they have exhausted all other means of procuring it elsewhere. In the guise of "verified leads," scammers are circulating contact numbers of people who are looking to dupe people.

How does the scam work?

It has been observed these fake leads promise to home deliver oxygen cylinder and demand payment in advance. Once the payment is made, the scammer turns off the phone number. There are many cases of such scams coming to light, one such reported by International Business Times recently. In view of this trend, Bengaluru Police has issued a warning.

It is important for people to stay vigilant, even in these trying times. If you're looking for an oxygen cylinder, make sure you thoroughly verify the leads and NEVER make payments in advance, especially when the source is unverified.