WhatsApp display picture trickery: Pune businessman scammed of ₹2 Lakhs

A cyber thief has reportedly swindled a Pune businessman out of INR 2 lakhs by misusing his sister's WhatsApp display picture. The thief, whose identity remains unknown, pretended to be in a financial crisis and sought monetary help. The victim, unaware of the real identity of the sender, transferred the amount as requested.

The incident took place between April 28 and May 1. The 47-year-old businessman has since filed a complaint with the Deccan police station in Pune, and an investigation is currently underway. As per the complaint, the sender's mobile number is unknown, and authorities are working to trace the individual.

Transferred money after second message

According to the businessman's statement, he received a message from a WhatsApp number with his sister's profile picture requesting financial aid due to personal issues. However, she did not provide any specific details about her situation. The businessman initially refused to send money but later received another message that made him think his sister was upset. He eventually transferred the amount to the unknown number and was unable to contact his sister (on the number) afterwards.

Confirming the identity of the person on the other end of the conversation before transferring any funds is essential to prevent such scams.