Cyber criminals posing as Army officials on prowl; 2 fall prey in Panchkula
In his complaint, Dr Prakash Khera, 61, of Sector 21, Panchkula, told the police that he has a hospital in Pinjore. On August 18, 2022, at about 10 am, he received a call from a person who identified himself as an Army officer.
Two persons in Panchkula fell prey to swindlers who contacted them posing as Army officials.
In the first case, a 61-year-old doctor running a hospital in Pinjore was approached by cyber criminals who eventually duped him of ₹6.33 lakh on the pretext of medical examination of jawans.
In his complaint, Dr Prakash Khera, 61, of Sector 21, Panchkula, told the police that he has a hospital in Pinjore. On August 18, 2022, at about 10 am, he received a call from a person who identified himself as an Army officer.
The caller told Khera that they wanted to get medical examination of about 400 jawans for which they would be sending 25 jawans on daily basis. Surprised, Khera asked the caller that why would he send jawans to his hospital, when the Army has its own facilities. To this, the caller replied that these are newly recruited jawans and thus are required to get medical examination from outside at the earliest.
The caller told Khera that a vehicle carrying 25 jawans is already on the way to his hospital. Surprised, Khera asked him how could they send jawans for medical test without even talking to him first. The caller then told him that a colonel will talk to him in a while. At about 10.30 am, Khera again got a call and the caller handed over the phone to another person who identified himself as Colonel Vinod.
The person posing as the colonel told Khera that they will be paying ₹400 per jawan. The caller further said that to transfer the money, he will have to WhatsApp call him from some other phone. Khera then made a video call from his wife’s mobile number and saw a person sitting in an army uniform.
The man asked him to transfer ₹100 so that they get his account number.
Following this, Khera transferred the money through net banking.
The person on other side of the call engaged Khera in a conversation, during the course of which money was debited from his account in multiple transactions. It was only later that Khera realised that ₹6.33 lakh have been stolen from his account.
Acting on his complaint, a case under Sections 419 (cheating by personal) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the cyber-crime police station, Panchkula, on April 7.
Dhakoli bizman also falls prey to fraudster posing as army official
In the second case, Pulkit Garg of Dhakoli, who runs a shop by the name of Bharat Steel in Phase 1, Industrial Area, Panchkula, was duped of ₹2.99 lakh by a fraudster impersonating an Army official.
Pulkit, in his complaint, said that on February 21, at about 9.30 pm, he received a Whatsapp call from a person claiming to be calling from Army Cantt, Panchkula.
He said that to make a shed, they need a few iron sheets and inquired about the rate, which Pukit shared. After this, the caller asked him to send 20 iron sheets of 10 ft at Chandimandir Cantt with assurance that the money would be paid to the driver of vehicle coming for delivery.
Pulkit sent the material and soon after, received a call from a person identifying himself as Amit.
The man told him that he is waiting at the gate, but so far, he has not received the material. Pulkit said he would check with the driver. Soon after, the man posing as Amit called again and said he spotted the tractor trailer. He told Pulkit that he does not have cash so another officer would make the payment online.
Pulkit then received call from another number from a caller identifying himself as Bulbul Kumar of Army Cantt, Panchkula. He said he was to make the payment and asked for details of Google pay number. Pulkit then received a QR CODE, asking him to pay Re 1 so that his account is verified.
Pulkit did as asked and soon he got a message that ₹2 was received by him. After this, the caller sent him another code and asked him to scan, saying the payment of ₹28,000 will be automatically received. Pulkit received a message, but it stated that money was debited from his account. The caller sent him another code asking him to scan so that his money is returned. Pulkit again scanned it following which he lost ₹2.99 lakh in multiple transactions.
Pulkit later received a call from his driver saying he was at the gate and no one has turned up for delivery.
Acting on his complaint, a case under Sections 406, 419 and 420 of IPC was registered at the cyber crime police station, Panchkula.
