Faridkot. A cyber fraud case has been reported in Punjab’s Faridkot, where a man was allegedly cheated by a fraudster posing as his nephew living in the United States. The accused first gained the victim’s trust through a WhatsApp call and then sought his bank details on the pretext of transferring money into his account. After sending a fake receipt showing an alleged transfer of more than ₹18 lakh, the fraudster claimed that his passport had been held up and persuaded the victim to transfer ₹14.10 lakh to a bank account provided by him.
According to Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar resident Lal Chand, he received a call from an unknown number on WhatsApp on September 6. The caller introduced himself as his nephew Pawan Kumar, who lives in the US. The caller claimed that he would be arriving in India on September 22. He also said that he wanted to surprise his parents and therefore asked Lal Chand not to tell other family members about his planned visit.
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Using the relationship to gain his confidence, the fraudster told Lal Chand that he was sending money to his bank account and asked for bank-related details. Believing the caller to be his nephew, Lal Chand sent a photograph of his HDFC Bank cheque through WhatsApp. Soon afterward, the accused sent him a receipt claiming that ₹18,00,550 had been transferred to his account.
After sending the fake receipt, the accused contacted Lal Chand again and claimed that his passport had been held up for some reason. He said he urgently needed money and assured the victim that the amount he had supposedly transferred would soon reflect in Lal Chand’s bank account. Believing that his relative was in trouble, Lal Chand transferred ₹14.10 lakh to the bank account specified by the accused.
After receiving the money, the fraudster again asked Lal Chand for another ₹1 lakh. The repeated demand raised suspicion. Lal Chand then contacted his actual nephew Pawan Kumar in the United States. During the conversation, Pawan Kumar made it clear that he had neither called Lal Chand nor asked him for any money.
The conversation with his real nephew revealed that the caller had allegedly impersonated him to carry out the fraud. After realizing that he had been cheated, Lal Chand immediately reported the matter through the cybercrime helpline and provided details of the transactions. The complaint led to the initiation of an investigation.
A case has been registered against an unidentified person under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. Investigators are examining the bank accounts into which the fraudulently obtained money was transferred. The transaction trail, account holders and subsequent movement of the funds are also being examined.
Investigators are working to identify the accused and trace the wider network allegedly involved in the fraud. Banking records are being scrutinized to determine whether the transferred funds can be frozen or recovered and to establish where the money was moved after reaching the recipient accounts.
The fraud highlights a common impersonation tactic in which cybercriminals pose as relatives or acquaintances to gain a victim’s trust. They may then cite an emergency involving travel, illness, a passport or another urgent situation and pressure the victim to transfer money immediately. Fake payment receipts or transaction confirmations are often used to make victims believe that money has already been sent to their accounts.
Cybersecurity officials advise people to independently verify any urgent request for money, particularly when it comes from an unknown phone number claiming to belong to a relative. Such claims should be confirmed by contacting the person directly through an existing and trusted phone number before sharing bank details or transferring any money.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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