Bhargavi Mani, a traveller at Bengaluru International Airport, recently fell victim to a sophisticated scam while trying to access a lounge. In a video shared widely online, Ms Mani explained that she didn’t have her physical credit card and showed a photo of it to lounge staff, who directed her to download an app and complete a facial scan for "security." However, the app turned out to be fraudulent and intended to capture her personal data.

After downloading the “Lounge Pass” app, Ms. Mani chose to have coffee at Starbucks instead of using the lounge. Soon after, she noticed an issue with her phone, as she could no longer receive calls and found strangers answering her calls instead. Suspicious, she investigated and discovered over ₹ $87,000 in unauthorized charges on her credit card, which had been transferred to a PhonePe account. She believes the app enabled scammers to redirect her calls, intercept OTPs, and execute unauthorized transactions.

In a follow-up video, Ms. Mani clarified that Bengaluru International Airport authorities have reached out and are actively assisting her with the matter. She confirmed that she holds no grievances against the airport and has reported the incident to cybercrime officials, notified her bank, and blocked her card.

Dated: October 22, 2024