Kerala man tries to return online-bought footwear, loses ₹2.69 lakh in WhatsApp video call scam

Kannur (Kerala) (PTI) A 65-year-old man lost Rs 2.69 lakh after cyber fraudsters allegedly hacked his mobile phone during a WhatsApp video call while he was trying to return footwear bought online, police said on Sunday.

The victim, a resident of Dharamshala in Kannur district, had ordered the footwear from an online shopping platform but sought a return as the size was wrong, police said.

On November 5, while he was trying to reschedule the pick-up of the item, he received a call from an unknown number. At the same time, he got a WhatsApp video call from another number, police said.

The fraudsters allegedly hacked his phone while the video call was on and withdrew Rs 2,69,500 from his bank accounts, held at different branches, the FIR said.

When he realised the money had been withdrawn, he approached the bank, but the amount could not be recovered, police said.

He then approached the Thaliparamba police, who registered a case on November 7 and began an investigation.

Police said the accounts to which the money was transferred had been identified, and the respective banks had been directed to freeze them.

The case has been registered under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.