Earlier this month, TV actress Aman Sandhu lost Rs. 2.24 lakh to a dangerous cyber scam. Now, with the help of Mumbai Police, she has been able to recover the stolen money. Check the details of the scam.
The popular notion that only technologically unaware people fall for cyber scams is a myth. Even celebrities are not safe from such criminal acts. Earlier this month, television actress Aman Sandhu became the latest to fall for a cybercrime when she lost Rs. 2.24 lakh to criminals. The scammers duper her through a WhatsApp scam by cunningly hacking into her smartphone after she clicked on a scam link sent to her on the instant messaging app. However, after quick action was taken by Mumbai Police, Sandhu managed to recover her stolen money. Check out the shocking details.
According to the actress, she was looking for an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon at the Criticare Hospital in Juhu for her mother on July 5. At around 11:30 PM, she ran a Google search for the website of the hospital to make a booking. But soon after, she received a link from an unknown number sent to her via WhatsApp. Thinking it was related to her appointment, she clicked on the link.
As soon as Sandhu clicked on the link, the scammer hacked into her smartphone and stole her personal and banking information. The actress had linked her bank account with WhatsApp Payment and through that, the scammer stole Rs. 2.24 lakh from her account. According to a report by India Today, Sandhu approached the cyber police station and registered a complaint at the Goregaon police station.
Actress Aman Sandhu recovers 2.24 lakh after being duped in a cyber scam
Thankfully, due to the quick action and reporting of the crime, Sandhu was able to recover the stolen money. Posting on Instagram, she said, “Hi everyone! This is to inform you guys that I have got my money back (2.24 Lac). I m really happy today and I would like to thank oshiwara police who made this happen and taking all the efforts possible that too so fast”.
She also shared a word of caution with her followers, making them aware about such scams and the right steps to take after a cyber crime has been committed. “Whenever something like this happens to anyone of us, we all panic at first, and many of us have this pre conceived notion about our police that they ll not help properly. In this situation, talking with my experience we all should just trust the police and show some patience and not panic as they are the only ones who will help and get us out of this kind of situation,” she added.
How to not fall victim to WhatsApp scams
Step 1:
Do not click on any links sent by a stranger- ever.
Step 2:
In case you have to click due to some urgent issue, verify each and every aspect of chats or messages you have received on social media or mail.
Step 3:
Check the language used. Often, cybercriminals make too many spelling mistakes and other errors in grammar. If that is the case, do not click
Step 4:
While carrying out a Google Search, do not trust what you find there. You must verify the same through other means and that includes doing a bit of a research to find the true source you are looking for
Step 5:
Try to find the real landline or mobile phone number of the company or institution you are looking for through a proper search in which you verify the same from multiple sources.
Step 6:
You should look for the padlock icon on websites that you visit. It generally indicates that the website is secure.
Step 7:
Last but not the least, immediately inform the police or financial institution that your money has been stolen. The faster you do it, the better the chances of getting your money back
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