IT worker held for 86 lakh WhatsApp scam in Ludhiana

Ludhiana police have arrested a 40-year-old IT professional from West Bengal for running a WhatsApp scam worth 86 lakh rupees. He pretended to be the head of a textile company and messaged the accountant, asking him to transfer money for a fake business deal. Believing it was real, the accountant sent the full amount to a bank account.

The police were able to trace the account and recover 21.5 lakh. They are now investigating to recover the remaining funds and find out if others were involved.

Ludhiana has seen over 10,000 cyber fraud cases since January 2024, with losses crossing 100 crore rupees. Most scams involve fake identities, phishing messages, or foreign numbers. Officials are urging companies to double-check any payment requests, especially those made over chat apps or unfamiliar phone numbers, to avoid falling into such traps.

Source: indianexpress.com