Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
An ordinary Instagram scroll turned into a nightmare for a family in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior after clicking on an advertisement which led to a cyber fraud. The mobile phone suddenly froze after the click, and by the time the family realised what had happened, cyber fraudsters had emptied nearly Rs 98,000 from their bank account through three UPI transactions.
The incident was reported from Rudra Pura under the Purani Chhawani police station area. According to a complaint filed by Jay Pratap Singh Batham, his wife Rachna was using Instagram on a mobile phone on August 11 when an advertisement appeared on the screen.
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She clicked on the advertisement, but instead of opening normally, the phone immediately became unresponsive. The device froze so badly that none of its functions worked, and even switching it off became impossible.
The family took the phone to a shop near Purani Chhawani crossroads, where the shopkeeper managed to shut it down and restart it. At the time, the family reportedly had no idea that their bank account could already be at risk.
Then came the shocking discovery.
Around midnight, Jay Pratap received a bank message regarding an instalment. When he checked his account, the balance showed minus Rs 2,970. The family had nearly Rs 1 lakh in the account, but the money had suddenly vanished.
Alarmed, Jay Pratap asked his wife whether she had transferred money to anyone. She denied making any transaction. Suspecting cyber fraud, he immediately contacted the cybercrime helpline 1930 and reported the matter.
The next day, a visit to the bank revealed the extent of the loss. The account statement showed that Rs 98,000 had been withdrawn through three separate UPI transactions.
The victim subsequently complained to the bank and approached Purani Chhawani police on August 16. Police registered a case and handed the investigation over to the cyber cell.
Investigators are now trying to establish what happened after the Instagram advertisement was clicked and how the alleged fraudsters gained access to the bank account.
A routine social media scroll, one seemingly harmless click and a frozen phone were followed by a devastating financial shock, turning an Instagram advertisement into a suspected cyber trap worth Rs 98,000.
– Ends
with inputs from Sarvesh Purohit
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
