Hyderabad woman loses Rs 35 lakh to fake London doctor on WhatsApp

Hyderabad: A 61-year-old woman from Hyderabad lost over Rs 35 lakh after a scammer duped her over WhatsApp by posing as a doctor. He claimed that her son had suffered a severe head injury in London.

Fake doctor claimed victim's son was admitted into the hospital illegally

The victim received a WhatsApp call from a person claiming to be Dr Steve Rodriguez, a urologist at South Manchester General Hospital, London.

The caller alleged that her son had met with a serious accident at London Airport and was critically injured. He further said that her son’s luggage was missing and, without proof of identity, the hospital could not admit him officially.

The fraudster claimed he had ‘illegally admitted’ her son and requested money to begin urgent treatment.

Money was transferred in panic

Trusting the caller, the woman transferred funds multiple times between August 8 and September 18, through online banking and digital transactions.

In total, she sent Rs 35,23,070.

When she later requested photo or video proof of her son’s condition, the fraudster refused and deleted all WhatsApp chat history. Only then did she realise that she had been deceived.

Key guidelines to protect from online fraud

The Hyderabad Cybercrime Police have issued a public warning urging citizens to remain cautious against such scams.

- Do not panic or transfer money immediately upon receiving distress calls or messages.

- Verify emergency claims by contacting family members directly or through official embassy channels.

- Never share personal or financial information with unknown individuals online.

- Avoid clicking on suspicious links or making payments through unverified sources.

- Report cyber frauds immediately on 1930 or via www.cybercrime.gov.in.