FPJ Cyber Secure: Khar doctor lands in online fraud trap after fake msg from famous gynae

Mumbai: Unknown fraudsters recently used a leading gynaecologist’s name to cheat and extort money from another doctor in Khar West. 

The complainant, Dr Manjiri Kawade, from Beams Hospital on 18^th Road in Khar, received a WhatsApp message purportedly sent by noted gynaecologist Nandita Palshetkar, offering her a post of general secretary of the Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Society of India.

Doctor promised prestigious post, asked to pay registration fee

Dr Kawade was told that she would get the prestigious post without an election and that she would receive Rs3 lakh annually. The fraudster asked her to fill a form and pay Rs30,450 towards registration fee through GPay. She was also asked to send several documents. The unsuspecting doctor did as told. However, her suspicions were raised when through another WhatsApp message she was told that Dr Palshetkar had gone abroad as her personal assistant’s father had passed away. She was then asked to send Rs30,000. 

Dr Kawade then spoke to Dr Palshetkar and realised that she had fallen prey to a cyber fraud. Dr Palshetkar denied having sent any WhatsApp message to her. The FPJ asked Dr Kawade why she paid the money when she knew that the post in the Federation could be had only through election? Dr Kawade replied that since she thought that the WhatsApp messages were “genuine” she sent the money. Dr Palshetkar is a highly reputed doctor and a message from her could not be ignored.

“All other things did not matter to me at that time,” Dr Kawade explained. “Even the display picture on the sender’s ID was that of Dr Palshetkar,” she added. 

Dr Palshetkar asked her to file a police complaint. A case has been registered against  unknown person(s) under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. The police have launched a hunt for the accused.