HYPHEN scam!

I recently fell victim to a scam. After placing an order on Hyphen's (Kriti Sanon's brand) platform, I received a call the very next day claiming that my name and number had been shortlisted for a "gift prize." They offered five options: an iPhone 13 Pro, an LG fridge, a Voltas AC, a Sony Bravia TV, or a Dell laptop. (Later I understood that these were Hypen's impersonators and not people from the actual brand itself.)

To claim the gift, they instructed me to purchase any item worth ₹5,000 (I "purchased" a soundbar for 13k cause I am a genius) from Flipkart and provided bank account details for a Bank of Baroda account registered under the name “HYPHEN.” They assured me that 50% of the amount would be reimbursed. However, after making the payment, they told me that the GST for my state couldn’t be cleared and demanded additional payment for the GST amount.

When they sent a screenshot as proof, it was evident that the screenshot was fake. I requested a refund for the initial amount, but they refused and began using scare tactics, threatening legal action if I pursued the matter further. This entire experience left me deeply disheartened.