Kerala Police Warn of Online Mattress Purchase Fraud Using Fake Customer Support
1 hour agoCrime
35LENS
2 SourcesThiruvananthapuram, India
TBNthebalanced.news

Kerala Police Warn of Online Mattress Purchase Fraud Using Fake Customer Support

Kerala police have issued a warning about a cyber fraud targeting online mattress buyers. Scammers pose as customer care representatives, contacting customers via phone or WhatsApp shortly after orders are placed. They claim payment issues and pressure victims to make additional payments through QR codes, UPI, or bank transfers before delivery. Authorities advise verifying contact details from official sources and caution against sharing bank information or OTPs. Victims are urged to report incidents via the cyber helpline 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Portal.

Political Bias
0%100%0%
Sentiment
40%
AI analysis of 2 sources · Published under editorial oversight by The Balanced News
Analysed 9 May 2026· How this analysis is produced· Editorial standards· Corrections

AI Analysis

Political bias across 2 sources
● Left 0%● Center 100%● Right 0%

The articles present a straightforward police advisory without political framing or partisan viewpoints. Coverage focuses on official warnings and public safety advice, reflecting a neutral government communication. There is no evident political perspective or critique, as the content centers on consumer protection and cybercrime prevention.

Sentiment — Neutral (40/100)

The tone across the articles is cautionary and informative, emphasizing awareness and prevention of fraud. There is no emotional or sensational language; instead, the coverage maintains a neutral, advisory sentiment aimed at protecting consumers from cybercrime risks.

How 2 sources covered this story

Each source's own headline, political lean, and sentiment — so you can see framing differences at a glance.

SourceTheir headlineBiasSentiment
theprintKerala police warn of online mattress fraudCenterNeutral
news18Kerala police warn of online mattress fraudCenterNeutral

Coverage timeline

news18 broke this story on 9 May, 04:03 am. Other outlets followed.

  1. 1
    news189 May, 04:03 am
    Kerala police warn of online mattress fraud
  2. 2
    theprint9 May, 04:27 am
    Kerala police warn of online mattress fraud

Lens Score breakdown

35/100
Public interest0/100
Coverage gap100%

Story is receiving appropriate media attention relative to public interest.

Accountability flags

TBN's analysis identified the following accountability dimensions in this story.

  • financial irregularity

    This story involves alleged financial misconduct — unexplained transactions, procurement irregularities, or misuse of public/shareholder funds.

  • public safety issue

    This story involves a risk to public safety — infrastructure failure, regulatory lapse, hazardous conditions, or emergency mishandling.

Who's involved

Institutions and figures named across source coverage.

Government
National Cyber Crime PortalKerala Police
Enforcement
Kerala Police

Story context

Category
Crime
Location
Thiruvananthapuram, India
Sources analysed
2
Last analysed
9 May 2026
Key entities
Confidence trickCybercrimeOnline shoppingWhatsAppPress Trust of IndiaWire transferQR codeUnited Press InternationalKerala PoliceFraudState policeThiruvananthapuram