Gujarat man loses Rs 7 lakh in iPhone 14 gift scam: avoid WhatsApp calls from +92 numbers

Man loses Rs 7 lakh in iPhone 14 gift scam

As per a TOI report, there’s been an increase in scams where fraudsters deceive people with lines like ‘Bhai will call from Dubai’ to trick them into their traps. They offer tempting rewards, like a brand-new iPhone 14, claiming it’s a discounted item from Dubai. However, unaware of the consequences, victims fall for these offers, not realizing the grave implications they might face.

Similarly, Virag Doshi from Dhandhuka in Ahmedabad district fell victim to a virtual number scam. He received a message on his Instagram account claiming he won a free iPhone 14 from ‘Bade Bhai and Chhote Bhai’ and needed to pay Rs 3,000 as a token fee via UPI.

Excited about possibly getting an iPhone 14 for free, Doshi promptly paid the fee as instructed. The next day, he got a call from a +92 country code number, where the caller posed as ‘Bade Bhai’ from Dubai and assured Doshi that his iPhone 14 and a watch were ready for delivery at Surat airport.

The following day, ‘Sanjay Sharma’ called, speaking in Gujarati, and asked for an additional Rs 8,000 for delivery. Trusting the scammers, Doshi paid the amount that was asked by the scammers. However, he never received the promised iPhone or watch.

Upon checking his bank account, Doshi discovered that a huge Rs 6.76 lakh had been debited between April 18th and May 7th. The fraudsters had emptied his account without his knowledge, as per the report.

Later, inspector P N Zinzuwadia of Dhandhuka police revealed that the 24-year-old businessman had unknowingly paid the money to the scammers without realizing the significant sum he was transferring.

Here’s what you should do if you get calls from +92 numbers

• Don’t answer the call with the +92 country code.
• Avoid messaging or calling back on that number.
• Immediately block and report the number.
• Inform WhatsApp about the calls or messages you received from the suspicious number via email.