Hyderabad: A 61-year-old woman lost more than Rs 35 lakhs to a scammer posing as a doctor from London’s South Manchester General Hospital on WhatsApp.
The cyber crime police reported that the scammer pretended to be Dr. Steve Rodrigues, a urologist, and contacted the woman via a WhatsApp call. He falsely claimed her son had a severe head injury from an accident at London Airport.
The imposter said her son couldn’t be officially admitted without identity proof and asked for money to start treatment after “illegally” admitting him.
Between August 8 and September 18, the woman sent a total of Rs 35,23,070 through online transactions for the so-called treatment.
The scammer provided no proof of her son’s condition and erased their chat history, making the woman realize she was deceived.
Authorities warn the public to verify information with family or official embassy channels before sending money to avoid online scams.
To report cyber crimes, call 1939 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in.
