A woman constable serving with the Chandigarh Police and her son were cheated out of a significant sum of money in a sophisticated WhatsApp cyber fraud on the very first day of the new year. The incident highlights how even those in law enforcement are not immune to the tactics of online scammers.
The Deceptive New Year's Day Message
According to the official complaint, the ordeal began when Anita, a resident of the Police Complex in Dhanas, received a message on WhatsApp. The sender's profile appeared to be that of a trusted acquaintance, Dr. Annam Bhatt. The message conveyed a sense of urgency, stating an emergency had arisen and requesting immediate financial assistance.
Trusting the identity shown on the profile, Anita's son, Arman Singh, proceeded to help. He transferred a total of Rs 46,000 from his State Bank of India (SBI) account to a UPI ID provided by the person on the other end. The amount was sent in several transactions. An additional Rs 2,000 was transferred from Anita's own HDFC bank account, bringing the total loss to Rs 48,000.
Reality Dawns: A Hacked Account
It was only after the money was sent that the victims grew suspicious and decided to directly contact Dr. Annam Bhatt. To their shock, the real Dr. Bhatt informed them that his WhatsApp account had been compromised by hackers. The fraudster was not Dr. Bhatt at all, but a cybercriminal who had taken over his account and was systematically soliciting money from everyone in the contact list.
Realising they had fallen prey to an impersonation scam, Anita and Arman immediately approached the cyber crime police station in Chandigarh to report the incident.
Police Investigation Underway
The cyber police have officially registered a case against unidentified persons based on the complaint. A probe has been launched to track down the individuals behind this WhatsApp cyber fraud. This case adds to the growing number of UPI scam incidents where criminals exploit trusted relationships and a sense of urgency to trick people into parting with their money.
The fact that the victim is a member of the police force underscores a critical message: anyone can be targeted. It serves as a stark reminder for all citizens to exercise extreme caution with financial requests received via messaging apps, even if they seem to come from known contacts. Always verify through a separate, direct phone call before transferring any funds.
