Two women in Dehradun lose a total of Rs 4.13 lakh to cyber criminals using sophisticated tactics like search engine manipulation and fake prize offers, amid a sharp rise in digital scams across India.
Two women in Dehradun have lost a combined Rs 4.13 lakh in separate online fraud cases, underscoring the varied tactics cyber criminals are using to target victims through search engines, messaging apps and fake prize offers.
In the first incident, a resident of Raj Rajeshwari Vihar in Natthanpur lost Rs 2.97 lakh after her husband searched Google for a doctor’s phone number on July 27. According to the complaint, the number that appeared in the search results was linked to fraudsters, who then contacted the family and offered to arrange an online appointment. They sent an APK file over WhatsApp and persuaded the family to install it, after which the scammers allegedly gained access to the phone and transferred money from the bank account.
The second victim, who lives on Badripur Road near Jogiwala Chowk, lost Rs 1.15 lakh after receiving a call from people claiming she had won a gift card worth Rs 5,000. The callers first asked her to pay Rs 1,045 as shipping and processing charges, which she sent through a UPI transfer. They then asked her to enter a promo code and, after she did so, Rs 1.15 lakh was withdrawn from her account in two transactions.
According to a report by NDTV, cyber fraud cases in India have been rising sharply, with so-called digital arrest scams and other impersonation schemes causing major losses. Other recent reports from Noida, Delhi, Gurugram, Prayagraj and Mumbai show a similar pattern: criminals are using false promises of jobs, romance, investments and official authority to pressure victims into transferring money. Police in Dehradun said cases have been registered in both incidents and that investigators are tracing the transactions to identify those behind the fraud.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
