A 31-year-old employee of a private engineering company in Pune's Hinjewadi area has become the latest victim of sophisticated cyber fraud, losing a staggering Rs 25 lakh to criminals in two separate incidents between November 5 and November 20.
The Initial Job Offer That Turned Sour
The nightmare began on November 5 when the victim received a message about a part-time job opportunity on his mobile messenger application. As he expressed interest in learning more about the job profile, he was promptly added to a group on the same messaging platform.
According to police officials, the group members promised the engineer a generous 30% commission on investments made in cryptocurrency. They assigned him tasks that involved transferring money to different accounts under the guise of cryptocurrency investments.
Mounting Losses and Realization
Between November 5 and November 13, the victim transferred a total of Rs 16.45 lakh to various bank account numbers provided by the fraudsters. The situation took a dramatic turn when he attempted to withdraw his money and was instead asked to transfer additional funds.
This demand raised red flags, and the engineer finally realized he was being systematically duped. He immediately stopped communicating with the fraudsters and filed an online complaint with the authorities on November 13.
Double Blow: Phone Hacking and More Losses
In a cruel twist of fate, on the same day he filed his initial complaint (November 13), the victim received two suspicious links from two different phone numbers. Unaware of the danger, he clicked on these links, giving cyber criminals complete access to his smartphone and two bank accounts.
Between November 18 and November 20, the hackers siphoned an additional Rs 8.58 lakh from his compromised bank accounts. The dual attacks resulted in a collective loss of Rs 25 lakh for the engineering professional.
The Hinjewadi police have officially registered the case and confirmed that their investigations are currently ongoing. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the sophisticated methods employed by cyber criminals and the importance of digital vigilance in today's interconnected world.
