Sardarpur (Madhya Pradesh): A harrowing incident unfolded in Barmandal village, located in the Sardarpur tehsil of Dhar district, where a man was nearly ensnared in a cyber fraud scheme that alleged his son had committed a serious crime.
The fraudulent call demanded an immediate online payment of Rs 1.1 lakh to secure his son’s release, but vigilant villagers intervened and thwarted the criminals’ plans.? According to reports, the victim, Ramkishan Patidar, received a distressing call around 1 pm on Tuesday from a mobile number associated with the perpetrators.
An individual on the other end asserted that Ramkishan’s son, Rahul Patidar, who is employed in a private company in Ahmedabad, had raped a girl. The caller further manipulated the situation by playing a recording of Rahul's cries, intensifying the father's anguish.
Pressured by the threat of legal repercussions and worried for his son’s safety, Ramkishan was urged to transfer the hefty sum immediately to avoid dire consequences. In his frantic state, Ramkishan rushed to the market to arrange the online payment. However, he encountered Arun Soni, a fellow villager. Soni, suspicious about the request, prompted Ramkishan for details regarding the payment.
After listening to the father's panic-induced story, Soni cautioned him against acting impulsively, noting the prevalence of cyber fraud in recent times. Realising the gravity of the situation, Soni contacted another villager, Jeevan Patel, to discuss the troubling circumstances. Patel advised Ramkishan to call his son from a different phone to verify his well-being.
When the father spoke to Rahul, he was relieved to discover that his son was unharmed and not involved in any wrongdoing. The assurance from Rahul alleviated some of Ramkishan's fears, confirming that he was safe and did not know of any incident involving a girl. With newfound clarity, Patel took the initiative to call the fraudster’s mobile number.
After retrieving crucial details from the scammer, he reprimanded the individual for attempting to deceive an innocent citizen with threats and false claims. Thanks to the quick thinking and proactive intervention of Arun Soni and Jeevan Patel, Ramkishan Patidar was spared the emotional and financial toll that typically accompanies such scams.
This incident emphasises the importance of community vigilance in combating cyber fraud and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation. Had Ramkishan proceeded with the payment, he could have become yet another victim in a growing landscape of cybercrime.
Instead, with the support of his community, he emerged with his integrity intact, a reminder of the power of awareness and cooperation in the face of deceit.
