Shirva: WhatsApp hacking scam; Fraudster impersonates friend, swindles Rs. 98,000

Team Udayavani, Nov 10, 2023, 8:24 PM IST

A tax consultant named Ramanand fell victim to a fraudulent scheme involving WhatsApp hacking in Shirva. Ramananda was advising his friend,  Diwakar, who was currently abroad, on tax-related matters. Exploiting this connection, an unknown individual managed to hack Diwakar’s WhatsApp account.

On November 8, Ramanand received a message from the hacked account, purportedly from Diwakara, stating that a medical emergency had arisen in India, and an urgent sum of Rs. 98,000 was needed.

Despite attempting to transfer the money through Google Pay, Ramanand encountered issues and informed the scammer about the unsuccessful transaction. Unfazed, the fraudster provided another account number for the transfer.

Trusting the legitimacy of the situation due to his prior business dealings with Diwakar, Ramanand sent Rs. 98,000 through Google Pay. Shortly after, he received a message stating that he actually needed Rs 5,98,000 and asked him to immediately send the remaining amount. Ramanand did not have that much money in his account and hence, he tried to contact Diwakar.

But ‘Diwakar’ allegedly sent a message stating that he was in a meeting and would call him later

Growing suspicious, Ramananda messaged Diwakar’s wife, only to discover that his friend’s WhatsApp had been hacked. A case has been registered with the Shirva police station.