Cyber Fraud Dupes Mumbai Doctor of Rs 1.5 Lakh

According to the victim, he was working at the hospital when he received a Whatsapp text message from his friend, also a doctor, in Bahrain, requesting for urgent financial help. As per the text messages, the con, posing as the victim's doctor friend, requested him to transfer 1.5 lakh rupees, to a person in India. He claimed to be in an important meeting and assured the victim that he would repay the amount once the meeting was over.

"On July 30 when I was checking patients at a Mulund hospital, I received a missed call on my phone from a friend, also a doctor who lives in Bahrain. When I tried calling back I couldn't get through his phone number. Later I received WhatsApp message from his number, saying he was stuck in an important meeting and needed his help for a money transaction. He asked me to send ₹1.50 lakh to a person in India on his behalf for a medical emergency. My friend said that once his meeting was over he would send me the money. He also sent me the photo of the Indian patient in the operation theatre," the complainant doctor stated in the FIR.

The victim responded to the text messages immediately and transferred the entire amount. Two hours later when he contacted his friend in Bahrain, he found that his friend never sent the WhatsApp messages to him. The money has been traced to a bank in Meghalaya and was withdrawn immediately.

The Navghar police registered an FIR on Saturday, 7^th August 2021. They suspect that the cyber fraud groups that dupe people by WhatsApp hacking method are reactivating again. "Two-three years ago several such cases were reported to police. It seems, now they are back in action. These fraud groups generally target Indians having friends and relatives abroad," a senior officer told HT.