Hyderabad: Employee loses Rs 1.7 lakhs to stranger posing as boss on WhatsApp
The victim’s boss had no record of any such conversations on his WhatsApp account
By Newsmeter Network Published on 19 Nov 2024 12:55 PM GMT
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Hyderabad: A 30-year-old employee here lost Rs 1.7 lakhs to a stranger who asked for money over WhatsApp pretending to be her boss.
According to the complaint filed by the victim, she received a WhatsApp message from a mobile number (+1 (435) 535-8210) asking for money for business purposes since their GPay was not working.
The scammer promised to repay the amount the next morning. Assuming the number belonged to her boss, she sent the amount.
Soon, she received similar requests and she sent the money as asked, totalling Rs 1,70,000.
It was only later that she realised that she was duped. It was discovered that an unknown person had hacked her boss’ WhatsApp account and used it to send fraudulent messages.
The victim’s boss had no record of any such conversations on his WhatsApp account. The victim has filed a complaint for the recovery of her money.
How to protect yourself from cybercrime?
Be wary of suspicious calls and messages: Don’t respond to unknown or suspicious calls on WhatsApp, and don’t share the WhatsApp verification code with anyone.
Enable two-factor authentication: Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for your WhatsApp account.
Report and block scammers: If you receive a suspicious message or call asking for money, report and block the number.
Re-register your account if it’s stolen: If you think your account has been stolen or hacked, you can sign in with your phone number and re-register.
Don’t trust ‘security’ messages: Some messages claim to make your account 100 per cent secure by enabling certain settings, but this is not true.
Be careful with links: If you receive a link from someone you don’t know, don’t open it.
Alert WhatsApp support: If you think your account has been compromised, contact WhatsApp support immediately.
Notify your contacts: If you think your account has been compromised, let your contacts know.
If you or anyone you know has become a victim of cybercrime, dial 1930 or visit www. cybercrime.gov.in.
