Online Scam Alert: Greater Noida Woman Loses ₹51 Lakh in WhatsApp Scam After Trusting Free Amazon Voucher

In another case of online fraud, a woman from Greater Noida lost more than Rs 51 lakh after becoming a victim to a WhatsApp investment scam.  Meenu Rani was duped into the scam by a free Amazon gift voucher offered in a WhatsApp group.

The scam started when a man named Hari Singh reached Rani on social media and introduced himself as an experienced stock market investment advisor.  He persuaded her to join a WhatsApp group that spoke about profitable investments and shared success stories.  Another group member, Aarti Singh, earned her trust by presenting a free Rs 1,000 Amazon gift voucher, which was successfully credited to her account.

Hari Singh enticed Rani to engage in stock trading, promising three to five times returns in a month.  She originally transferred Rs 50,000 and was routed to a fraudulent mobile app that displayed inflated revenues.  Encouraged by the gains, she continued to invest and even borrowed money from family members, eventually transferring Rs 51.50 lakh to the crooks.

Her suspicions were aroused when she borrowed a loan from an associate who warned her about potential fraud.  When she demanded her money back, the scammers cut off all contact, causing her to file a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police in Greater Noida.

This instance demonstrates scammers' moving strategies, which use fraudulent approaches to gain victims' trust.  To be safe, avoid unknown WhatsApp groups, do not click suspicious links, and keep in mind that guaranteed high returns are frequently a red flag for fraud.

This article is based on information from India Today