Kochi: Actress Arya has filed a complaint alleging online fraud involving the unauthorised use of the name and visuals of her boutique, ‘Kanchivaram’, through fake Instagram pages. According to Arya, scammers created fake social media accounts using the same name and logo as her retail store, manipulated her original videos, and circulated fake QR codes. The scam reportedly involved showcasing high-end sarees worth over ₹10,000 and advertising them at heavily low prices of ₹1,000 or ₹2,000. As a result many customers have fallen victim to the fraud, Arya told mathrubhumi.com.

The actress revealed that the fraud came to light in May, when several customers informed her that they had attempted to purchase sarees through what they believed was the official Instagram page of her boutique, only to lose money in the process.

Many customers, enticed by the deal, placed orders through a contact number seen in the video. Once orders were placed, the fraudsters sent a QR code requesting payment. However, after the amount was transferred, the contact number was immediately blocked. Most victims only realised they had been duped when the promised delivery dates passed without the product being delivered.

The actress further stated that although she has approached the police and cybercrime cell, authorities have said that the scam appears to have been carried out by a group based in North India, so it is difficult for them to take any action. The police reportedly advised us to focus on creating awareness among customers to prevent further incidents.

In response, Arya posted a video on her official Instagram page warning her followers of the fraudulent accounts. She explained that the scammers had edited her original promotional videos to include lower prices, which misled a larger audience and resulted in more victims falling prey to the scam.

Meanwhile, there are approximately 25 fake Instagram pages using the name ‘Kanchivaram’ along with her boutique’s logo and doctored content. Although Arya has reported and taken down several of them, new pages continue to emerge. She further noted that payments from victims have been traced to various unrelated accounts, and it is only through the payment screenshots sent by the victims that the deception becomes evident.

Meanwhile a growing number of such frauds are being carried out through social media platforms.