A resident of Begumpet, Hyderabad, was defrauded of a significant sum of ₹7.9 lakh after he was lured by a deceptive offer for a ₹50 lakh loan from what appeared to be a non-governmental organization (NGO).
The victim, aged 30, received a WhatsApp call from an individual whose profile picture displayed Salman Khan, the alleged founder of ‘Hyderabad Youth Courage’ (HYC). The caller falsely informed the man that a substantial loan of ₹50 lakh had been approved in his name and requested an initial payment of ₹10 lakh to cover processing and various other charges.
Trusting the authenticity of the offer, the victim proceeded to transfer ₹7.9 lakh, using accounts belonging to his acquaintances, into the bank accounts provided by the fraudster.
When the victim subsequently inquired about the disbursement of the promised loan, the perpetrator demanded an additional ₹30,000, promising that the entire ₹10 lakh, including the initial payment, would then be refunded. At this point, the man realized he was being scammed, ceased further payments, and promptly filed a complaint.
The cyber crime wing of the Hyderabad police has registered a case and initiated an investigation into the incident.
Authorities are urging the public to exercise extreme caution and avoid trusting unsolicited WhatsApp calls or messages that offer loans from NGOs or other unknown sources. Citizens are strongly advised to verify the legitimacy of any financial offers through official channels and to report any suspected cyber frauds immediately by contacting 1930 or visiting cybercrime.gov.in.