It all started when the victim received a WhatsApp call from an unknown international number.
The caller claimed to be the victim's nephew.
The scammer said he was transferring Rs 3.3 lakh via NEFT to the victim.
Imagine receiving a call from someone who sounds just like your family member, asking for urgent help. Most of us wouldn’t think twice before responding. That’s exactly how a resident of Gurgaon ended up losing Rs 54,000 in a scam. Keep reading to know how it happened and what you should keep in mind to avoid falling for such frauds.
It all started when the victim received a WhatsApp call from an unknown international number starting with +44. The caller greeted him by saying “Tau” (uncle), a word his real nephew often uses. Trying to guess the caller’s identity, the victim replied, “Who? Golu?”, the name of his nephew who lives in London. That innocent guess gave the fraudster all the information he needed.
Also read: Pune man loses Rs 11.5 lakh in task scam: Here’s what happened
The scammer quickly claimed to be Golu Sharma and said he was transferring Rs 3.3 lakh via NEFT to the victim, reports TOI. He then asked the victim to forward Rs 2 lakh to another person. Soon after, another person called from a different number, continuing the story. This new caller said his mother had been hospitalised and needed immediate money. Trusting the request, the victim transferred Rs 50,000 to a Punjab National Bank account and another Rs 4,000 to a Union Bank account.
After sending the money,the victim started doubting the story. He called his brother to check if Golu had really called him and realised it was all a scam.
Also read: Man loses Rs 54,000 trying to fix messaging app glitch online, here’s how
How to avoid falling for such scams:
- You should never share names or personal details during unknown calls.
- Always verify the identity of the caller by calling back on a known number.
- Avoid sending money urgently unless you can confirm the situation.
- Use privacy settings on apps like WhatsApp.
- Report such incidents immediately to the cybercrime helpline.
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Ayushi Jain
Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile
