Ludhiana doctor falls victim to Rs 11.42 lakh cyber fraud

Ludhiana: In yet another alarming case of cyber fraud, a doctor from Ludhiana fell victim to a well-orchestrated financial scam, losing a staggering Rs 11.42 lakh after being tricked into sharing his credit card details via a WhatsApp link.

The scam not only wiped out his bank accounts but also compromised his phone for nearly five days.

The doctor, originally from Odisha and currently residing in Bhamian Kalan, works at a private hospital in the city. According to his complaint, the ordeal began on August 15, when he received a call from an individual claiming to be a representative of a private bank. The fraudster, in a well-orchestrated attempt to gain trust, even spoke with the doctor’s Head of Department, asserting that there was a technical glitch involving the enhancement of the doctor’s credit card limit due to an issue with his CIBIL score. 

The fraudster then shared a WhatsApp link with the doctor and convinced him to enter his credit card details to “resolve” the supposed issue. Shortly after submitting the information, the doctor’s phone was compromised. Unbeknownst to him, calls were diverted, effectively cutting him off from bank alerts and communication for nearly five days.

Over the next five days, the fraudster siphoned off a total of ₹11.42 lakh from Dr Samal’s two bank accounts.