WhatsApp, the instant messaging app, is becoming more vulnerable to hacking. A new WhatsApp scam has emerged, and scammers are now using the name Kaun Banega Crorepati to dupe people. Scammers are said to be based in foreign countries and are enticing Indians with a message advertising a Rs 25 lakh lottery. This WhatsApp message informs users that they have won Rs 25 lakh in a lucky draw. This comes at a time when In India, WhatsApp Payments is testing a ‘Cashback’ feature.
Several people took it to the social media platforms to complain that they have been receiving such scam messages lately and ask other users to be aware and not to believe such messages. Delhi Police Cybercrime department has as well posted a blog which helps users in distinguishing between a scam and a real WhatsApp message.
In such cyber frauds, the fraudsters send WhatsApp messages to unsuspecting victims from unknown numbers (most of them starting with +92, the ISD Code of Pakistan) claiming that their mobile number has won a lottery jointly organized by Kaun Banega Crorepati and Reliance Jio worth Rs. 25 lakhs and in order to claim that lottery they need to contact some person whose number is provided in the same WhatsApp message.
One time the victim deposits that money, they start demanding for more on one pretext or another. The fraudsters insist on communicating only through WhatsApp. They induce the victim to deposit money in various bank accounts and the entire fraud goes on for several weeks and even months for as long as they can keep inducing the victim to deposit money. After few time, they start telling the victim that the lottery amount has been increased further to Rs. 45 lakhs, then to Rs. 75 lakhs, so on and so forth so as to keep the victim engaged and interested. Finally, when the victim starts insisting on getting the money or refuses to pay more, they stop calling him/her and discontinue the WhatsApp numbers that were being used in the fraud.
