Bengaluru Couple Falls Victim to Job Scam via WhatsApp
The Scam Unfolds
In Bandipalya, Bengaluru, a woman named Harini (name changed) received a message in a WhatsApp group that included trainers from across the country, often sharing job opportunities. One day, a message indicated that the Army Public School (APS) in Bengaluru was looking for an instructor for discipline and communication skills, along with a contact number.
Excited, Harini called the number provided. On the other end, a person identified himself as an administrative staff member from APS. He explained the job requirements and discussed a fee of ₹5,000 per hour for two hours of work. He assured her that the school head would contact her soon, making Harini feel this was a golden opportunity.
Shortly after, she received a WhatsApp voice call from another number. The caller claimed to be speaking from the APS campus on MG Road. He praised Harini's profile and mentioned that the school wanted to hire her services. However, he introduced a 'protocol' stating that, as it was a military institution, she needed to register as a vendor. Trusting him, Harini shared her Aadhaar number.
The scammer then explained the next step involving digital payment registration. He instructed Harini to link her UPI ID and complete an OTP process. Following his directions, she entered her PIN along with the OTP, only to find ₹26,000 withdrawn from her account within seconds.
When Harini protested, the scammer kept her on the line, sending a fake military ID to gain her trust. He repeatedly invoked patriotism with phrases like 'Jai Hind' and 'Jai Indian Army,' which made Harini completely believe him. The scammer then requested an alternative phone number, to which she provided her husband Dinesh's number. The same tactics were used on Dinesh, exploiting patriotic sentiments to ensnare him as well. This time, they lost nearly ₹1.9 lakh through four transactions.
In just an hour, the couple lost over ₹2.1 lakh. Shocked, Dinesh filed a complaint with the Bandipalya police on Friday. They also contacted their bank and the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930). The police registered a case under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and initiated efforts to freeze the scammers' accounts.