HIGHLIGHTS
* Virag Doshi from Dhandhuka in Ahmedabad district fell victim to a virtual number scam.
* Excited about possibly getting an iPhone 14 for free, Doshi promptly paid the fee as instructed.
* Even after paying the amount, Doshi never received the promised iPhone or watch.
Apple iPhones have wide popularity in India. And because of this craze, it is also a medium for fraudsters to dupe people.
In the latest case, scammers are luring people into believing they can claim a brand-new iPhone by paying a small token amount.
However, this ends up being more than the cost of an iPhone, and the person ends up as a victim of this fraud.
In recent cases, the scammers are using virtual mobile numbers with country code
‘+92′ of Pakistan to dupe people in India and worldwide into believing that ‘Bhai’ would call them and offer them a lucrative gift like the latest iPhone.
But this is not as straightforward as it appears to be.
For some time, cybercriminals are misusing virtual numbers with the +92 country code, often linked to Pakistan, to commit different kinds of fraud.
Now, a 24-year-old man from Gujarat has fallen prey to such a scam where he lost 7 lakh in order to get the iPhone 14 as a free gift.
Here’s how this new fraud unfolds.
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.
How does the iPhone 14 Gift Fraud?
According to a Times of India report, it all starts with a call from a fraudster who says:
“Bhai will call from Dubai” for the gift, which is Apple’s iPhone 14 in most cases.
Considering the general reputation of the country for cost-effective Apple smartphones, a user easily believes they might get a discounted offer.
The fraudsters dupe people into believing that ‘Bhai’ is from a famous shop in Dubai and offers the victim a cheap or free iPhone in exchange for a token amount.
Live Fraud Incident
A businessman from Dhandhuka in Ahmedabad is among the fresh victims of this fraud.
He ended up losing Rs 7 lakh in an attempt to chase a phone that costs around Rs 80,000 in India.
The 24-year-old was drawn by a message (in April) on Instagram that claimed he “got a free iPhone 14 from Bade Bhai and Chote Bhai,” which he can claim after paying Rs 3,000 to a UPI account.
Once he transferred the requested amount, he received a call from a number with
country code +92, and the person addressed himself as Bade Bhai from Dubai. The person told him the iPhone 14 and a watch is ready to ship to Surat airport.
Just one day after all this started, a man called the victim to inform him that the order
was in Surat and asked for Rs 8,000 to ship the package.
The man did this too. However, the parcel still did not reach the intended receiver. The communication numbers went unreachable in May.
As these events unfolded, he checked through his bank statement, which displayed a lapse of Rs 6.76 lakh during the fraud period.
However, it turns out the businessman had made the payment unknowingly, and no individuals from Pakistan were involved in this fraud, said a Police official cited in the report.
How to avoid such iPhone Scams?
A user must reject such lucrative offers at face value and report them to the concerned authorities at the first site.
No online transaction should be made to the fraudster in any case. Plus, users can search media reports to explore more about suspected activity.
Faqs
1) Here’s what you should do if you get calls from +92 numbers.Details?
Ans) * 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.
2) Bhai will get iPhone 14 from Dubai: Ahmedabad man narrates how scammers robbed him of Rs 7 lakh on Instagram.Details?
Ans) In recent times, India has witnessed a concerning trend where cybercriminals are exploiting virtual numbers with the +92 country code, commonly associated with Pakistan, to carry out fraudulent activities. Recently, the scammers have started cheating people by using lines like ‘Bhai will call from Dubai’ to lure unsuspecting individuals into falling for their traps.
The fraudsters promise attractive rewards, such as a brand-new iPhone 14, to potential victims under the pretext of receiving discounted items from Dubai. Little do the victims know that accepting the tempting offer would lead to grave consequences.
As per TOI report, Virag Doshi, a 24-year-old businessman from Dhandhuka in Ahmedabad district, recently became one of the victims of this virtual number scam. On April 18, Doshi received a message on his Instagram account. It said, “Congratulations! You’ve won a free iPhone 14 from Bade Bhai and Chhote Bhai. Just pay a small fee of Rs 3,000. Use UPI to pay on the given number.”
Excited about the prospect of getting a phone worth about Rs 70,000 for free, Doshi eagerly paid a token fee of Rs 3,000 as instructed through UPI on the given number.
The next day, Doshi received a call from a phone number displaying the +92 country code. The caller, posing as ‘Bade Bhai’ from Dubai, assured Doshi that his iPhone 14 and a watch were packed and ready for delivery at Surat airport. Delighted, Doshi awaited his prized possessions.
On the following day, ‘Sanjay Sharma’ called Doshi, claiming to be in charge of delivering the parcel. Fluent in Gujarati, Sharma demanded an additional Rs 8,000 for the delivery. Trusting the scammers, Doshi complied and paid the amount. However, to his dismay, he never received the promised iPhone or watch.
Realizing that he had fallen victim to a deceitful plot, Doshi checked his bank account and discovered that a staggering Rs 6.76 lakh had been debited between April 18 and May 7. Unbeknownst to him, the fraudsters had emptied his bank account.
Inspector P N Zinzuwadia of Dhandhuka police revealed that Doshi had unknowingly paid the money to the scammers himself, oblivious to the substantial sum he was transferring. Importantly, there was no actual involvement of any Pakistani individual, as the fraudsters simply employed virtual numbers to execute their fraudulent activities.
Authorities from the cyber cell of CID (crime) have reported a growing number of similar cases nationwide, where scammers leverage Pakistani numbers to impersonate ‘Bade Bhai and Chhote Bhai’ from a reputed shop in Dubai, enticing victims with the promise of free or cheap iPhones.
This alarming trend of virtual number fraud has extended its reach even to certain places abroad, causing concern among law enforcement agencies. As the perpetrators continue to deceive innocent victims with their deceptive ‘Bhai ka Call’ trick, staying vigilant and cautious when dealing with unknown calls and offers becomes crucial in the fight against cybercrime. Awareness and caution are our best defense against falling prey to such clever scams.
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