Stay safe › Scams
Fake "army officer" buyer and rental scams
A "soldier" being transferred sells a cheap bike, or wants to rent your flat, then asks you to send money "to receive" payment.
How it works
There are two versions. Fake seller: a cheap car or bike is listed by an “army officer” who is being transferred, so the vehicle will come by “army courier” once you pay an advance. More charges follow: courier, insurance, tax. Fake tenant or buyer: someone who says they’re an officer newly posted to your city wants to rent your flat or buy your furniture at once, and asks you to send ₹1 “to test” the payment. That turns into a series of payments from your side.
Real cases
In 2020, Tamil Nadu police traced an OLX scam to villages near Bharatpur in Rajasthan and arrested two men. Posing as army personnel being transferred to Kashmir, the scammers used fake army ID and canteen cards to sell vehicles that didn’t exist, taking advances of ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 and then asking for more. In Pune, a woman advertising her flat for rent lost about ₹3.69 lakh to a man who claimed on WhatsApp to be an army officer posted to the city. He started with a ₹1 “test transfer”.
The rule
Meet in person, see the item or the person, and never send money to receive money.
If it has already happened
- Stop paying. Call 1930 if money has been taken.
- Tell your bank and report the UPI ID or account used.
- Report the listing and profile on the website or app, and the number on Chakshu.
Protect yourself
- Buy only after seeing the item, and rent only after meeting the tenant and checking documents in person.
- You never need to pay or scan a QR to receive money.
- Don't trust uniforms or ID cards in photos. Real soldiers can meet you or send family.
Say it simply
An "army officer" who can't meet but wants a quick deal is a common scam. Meet first, then pay.
If someone renting your flat asks you to send them money first, it's a trick. Ask family before replying.
Where to report
- Cybercrime helpline 1930Money has been taken or a payment was tricked out of you. Call at once: the sooner, the better the chance of freezing it.Call 1930
- Your bank, directlyBlock your card or UPI, and report the transaction. Use the number on your card or the bank's official app, never one from a message.Number on your card
- The app or platformReport and block the account on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube or wherever it happened, so it can be taken down.Report in the app
- Chakshu, on Sanchar SaathiReport a suspected fraud call, SMS or WhatsApp message, even if you lost nothing.sancharsaathi.gov.in