Fake Doctor on Instagram Swindles Ahmedabad Woman of Rs 73,000
Cybercrime
Ahmedabad: In a recent cyber fraud case, a 40-year-old woman from Ahmedabad was defrauded of Rs. 73,299 by an individual posing as a UK-based doctor on Instagram.
The victim, Binal Shah (40), a resident of Shahpur, lodged a complaint at Shahpur police station following the incident.
The fraud began on December 27, 2024, when the woman received a message on Instagram from a user with the handle drshiva463. The scammer, who introduced himself as Dr. Shiva Kenny, claimed to be a doctor from the United Kingdom and offered financial assistance.
As their conversation progressed, the scammer moved communication to WhatsApp, using the number +44 7704596199. Over the next few days, the fraudster appeared increasingly convincing, asking the woman about her financial situation and eventually promising to transfer Rs. 10 lakh into her bank account to assist her.
Eventually, she trusted the claims and shared her bank account details and a passport-sized photo as requested. On January 1, 2025, the scammer sent her a fabricated HSBC Bank transaction slip, claiming that Rs. 10 lakh had been transferred into her account. Shortly thereafter, she got a call from someone claiming to be a bank representative, who told her that a "processing fee" was required to finalize the transaction.
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Under pressure and believing the transaction to be genuine, the woman was instructed to make several payments through NEFT transfers and QR codes. According to the news reports, the first payment, amounting to Rs. 5,000, was followed by multiple other installments totaling Rs. 73,299. The scammer continued to invest false reasons for the additional payments, including "verification" fees and threats of legal consequences.
To further manipulate the scammer, she sent her manipulated images of legal documents with Supreme Court seals and even a fake signature from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He then intimidated her with threats of arrest and legal action if she failed to comply with the demands. He insisted that she had to continue making payments to avoid potential arrest or legal trouble.
Upon realizing she had been scammed, she shared the information with her husband, who urged her to reach out to the cybercrime helpline. She then reported the fraud to the police, giving them the details of the bank accounts and mobile numbers involved in the crime.
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Authorities have issued a public advisory urging individuals to remain vigilant against similar scams. Citizens are advised to avoid sharing personal details or making payments to unsolicited online contacts, especially those offering unsolicited financial help. The police also emphasized the importance of reporting suspicious activity immediately to the cybercrime helpline at 1930 to prevent further incidents.
