Udupi man loses Rs 55,000 in Facebook graphics card scam
Udupi: A 23-year-old man was allegedly cheated of Rs 55,000 after attempting to purchase a computer graphics card through a Facebook advertisement, Deccan Herald reported.
According to police, the victim, Anirudh Rao of Ambalapady in Udupi taluk, came across an advertisement promoting low-cost PC components on a Facebook group. After placing an order for a graphics card, he was contacted by an unidentified person via WhatsApp, who instructed him to make the payment.
Acting on this, Anirudh Rao transferred Rs 55,000 via UPI to an account on December 17. However, even after receiving the payment, the accused neither delivered the graphic card nor refunded the amount, thereby cheating the complainant online.
ALSO READ: Passenger beaten by off-duty Air India Express pilot suffers nasal fracture, seeks justice
Realising that he had been cheated, Anirudh Rao approached the Udupi Town Police Station and lodged a complaint.
A case has been registered under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. Further investigation is underway, police said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
