Online doctor appointment scam: Badaun woman loses Rs 9.7 lakh

Badaun: In a recent case of cyber fraud reported from Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district, a woman was allegedly duped of nearly Rs 9.70 lakh by fraudsters posing as representatives for an online doctor appointment service. 

According to the complaint filed with the cybercrime police, the fraud began with a seemingly harmless request for a nominal Rs 2 payment to confirm a doctor's appointment. However, within a few days, cyber criminals allegedly carried out 19 unauthorized transactions from the victim’s bank account, siphoning off Rs 9,70,769.

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The complaint was filed by a resident of Shahbazpur locality in Badaun, who informed the cybercrime police that his wife received a phone call on April 29 from an unidentified individual claiming to assist with booking a doctor’s appointment. The caller reportedly convinced the family to make the small payment as part of the booking process.

Believing it to be a routine procedure, the family attempted to make the payment, but the transaction allegedly failed. The complainants stated that they did not share any OTP, CVV number, or bank PIN details with anyone during the process.

Despite this, the cyber criminals allegedly managed to gain unauthorized access to the woman’s Bank of Baroda account and made multiple transactions.

Police said that between April 29 and May 2, fraudsters carried out unauthorised transactions from the account. The family reportedly became aware of the fraud only after receiving repeated debit alerts on their registered mobile number. They subsequently contacted the bank and informed the cyber helpline authorities.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the fraudsters may have used phishing techniques, fake payment links, or screen-sharing methods to gain unauthorized access to banking credentials. Cyber experts say criminals are increasingly targeting people in the name of doctor appointments, hospital registrations, diagnostic test bookings, and healthcare services. Small-value payment requests are often used to trick victims into unknowingly granting access to their devices or banking systems, reports 420.

Cyber-crime police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the transaction trail. Authorities are currently tracing the beneficiary bank accounts, mobile numbers, and digital payment channels allegedly used in the fraud.

Speaking to 420, renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said cyber criminals are increasingly exploiting psychological vulnerabilities through social engineering techniques. He noted that sensitive subjects such as medical emergencies, doctor consultations, and healthcare services are being used to pressure people into making quick online payments. He advised citizens to avoid clicking on unknown links, scanning suspicious QR codes, or accepting unsolicited screen-sharing requests.

Cyber-crime officials have urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid sharing banking information with unknown callers under any circumstances.

Complaints can also be registered through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Authorities emphasised that the first few hours after a cyber fraud are crucial, as delays significantly reduce the chances of recovering the stolen money.

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