Cyber fraudsters have begun exploiting personal relationships and emotions to scam people. One such incident has come to light in Hoshiarpur, where fraudsters swindled ₹3 lakh from a woman by falsely claiming her son had met with an accident. The accused contacted the woman via a WhatsApp call, stating that her son was injured in an accident and urgently needed money for medical treatment.
Believing the caller, the woman transferred the money to various bank accounts. Later, upon speaking to her son, she discovered that no such accident had occurred. Following this revelation, the Hoshiarpur Cyber Crime Police registered a case against the unidentified accused and initiated an investigation.
**Claim of Son’s Accident**
In her complaint to the police, Daljit Kaur—wife of Mahinder Pal and a resident of village Piplanwala (under the jurisdiction of Model Town Police Station, Hoshiarpur)—stated that she received a WhatsApp call on September 7. The caller claimed her son had met with an accident and urgently needed funds for treatment. The accused spoke in a manner that led the woman to believe her son was in distress.
**Money Transferred to Various Accounts**
Panicked and without fully verifying the facts, the woman transferred a total of ₹3,00,000 to the different bank accounts specified by the accused. After sending the money, she contacted her son, who informed her that he had not met with any accident. She then realized she had fallen victim to a cyber fraud.
The victim lodged a complaint regarding the incident on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. A formal case was registered after the police investigation confirmed the fraud involving the transfer of ₹3 lakh via the WhatsApp call. Stay alert; do not fall for scams.
In this type of cyber fraud, scammers first provide false information via phone or WhatsApp claiming that a family member has met with an accident or is facing an emergency. They then emotionally pressure the victim to send money immediately. Acting in haste and panic, people often transfer the funds without verification; so, please be cautious:
Do not panic; verify first: If someone calls claiming a family member has had an accident or is in trouble, verify the situation by calling that person directly instead of sending money immediately.
Verify via video call: If you receive a suspicious call, try to speak to the family member via video call. Do not rely solely on hearing a voice over the phone.
Do not send money to unknown accounts: Before transferring funds to any unknown bank account, UPI ID, or digital wallet cited in an emergency claim, verify all details thoroughly.
Do not share personal information: Never share OTPs, ATM/debit card details, bank information, UPI PINs, or passwords with anyone.
Be cautious with WhatsApp calls too: Do not immediately trust WhatsApp calls from unknown numbers. Scammers often create an atmosphere of fear and urgency to force you into making a decision.
Report fraud immediately: If you transfer money by mistake, inform your bank without delay and file a cybercrime complaint. Timely reporting can increase the chances of blocking or recovering the funds.
Remember: A decision made in panic can become the biggest weapon for cyber scammers. In any emergency, verify first, then pay.
