Tea trader loses more than Rs 43,000 after clicking fake traffic challan link on WhatsApp

Siliguri: A case of cyber fraud has come to light in Siliguri subdivision, where a tea trader lost more than Rs 43,000 after clicking on a fake traffic challan link received on WhatsApp.

The victim, Gautam Ghosh, is a resident of the Bidhannagar area under Phansidewa block. He stated that on January 26, he came to Siliguri. After returning home, on the following day, he received a WhatsApp message displaying ‘Regional Transport Office (RTO),’ mentioning that he had to pay a traffic challan, along with a link. By clicking on the link, he was redirected to a page seeking personal details such as his date of birth, mother’s name, and email ID. He had entered all the details, but suspecting something unusual, he deleted the information and closed

the link. However, trouble followed days later. On February 3, Ghosh reportedly received several OTP messages on his mobile phone.

Though he did not share the OTPs with anyone, an amount of more than Rs 43,000 was fraudulently debited from his bank account.

Realising that he had been cheated, he lodged a written complaint at Siliguri Cyber Crime Police Station.

He also contacted his bank manager, who informed him that the money had been transferred to a bank account in the name of a person identified as Rahul, a resident of Ghatkopar, Mumbai.

Based on the complaint, police have initiated an investigation into the matter.