Indian Veterans Targeted in Cyber Fraud Scams

Several recent incidents highlight the increasing prevalence of cyber fraud targeting individuals in India. An octogenarian Indian Air Force veteran lost Rs. 3.64 lakh after being manipulated into revealing sensitive information through a fake gas bill payment request while in Australia. Similarly, an Army doctor in Pune was defrauded of Rs. 1.2 crore in a stock trading scam after being lured into a WhatsApp group promising high returns, which ultimately led to losses when he attempted to withdraw his supposed earnings. In Lucknow, Dr. Ruby Thomas was extorted for Rs. 90,000 by fraudsters impersonating CBI officials, marking a disturbing trend of digital arrests to extract money. Another case involved a retired navy officer who lost over Rs. 1 lakh after contacting a fraudulent diagnostic lab via a search engine. These incidents underscore the urgent need for increased public awareness and security measures to combat cyber crimes.