Beware! THIS WhatsApp scam lets cybercriminals steal all your money - Know how to stop it

Suffolk Trading Standards in the United Kingdom has issued a warning to WhatsApp users that fraudsters are targeting them through fake messages.

Beware! THIS WhatsApp scam lets cybercriminals steal all your money - Know how to stop it

People are being scammed through various tricks on the most used messaging app. Whatsapp has become a platform for cyber fraud nowadays. The recent scam on WhatsApp is the cybercriminals pretending to be family members. Suffolk Trading Standards, a government institute of the UK has warned WhatsApp users that fraudsters are pretending to be one of their family members and targeting them through fake messages.

In a recent incident, a woman residing in Kessingland received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number, claiming to be her daughter. The fraudster tried to convince the mother that she had fallen into the washroom and that this is her new contact number. Con-person requested money from the mother as she was required to pay a bill and she couldn't access her account. Fortunately, the mother didn't fall for the con and called her daughter by other means.

Suffolk County Council shared some losses to WhatsApp scams and other frauds. The Council said, "..It is estimated that Pounds 5 billion to Pounds 10 billion is lost to scams each year in the UK. Scams may occur through phone calls, letters, emails, the internet or at your door."

How to know if it's a WhatsApp scam or not?

- Scammers may pretend to be your family member, relative or friend, always confirm and never fall for that.

- Scammers will try to get your financial details.

- The fraudster will create such a situation and will put you under pressure to fall for the scam easily.

- The scammer will also ask to keep the conversation a secret.

How to avoid being the victim of a scam?

- The scammer will pretend to be your family member or friend, don’t fall for it and verify the identity immediately.

- Try to understand the texting style to know if the person is really your known person or not.

- Never share your OTP even if they seem to be bank employees and never share your bank account information.

- If you get to know the scam or a cyber-fraudster, report them immediately. Users may also report directly through WhatsApp by going to Settings - Help and then Contact Us. Share your situation and report the scam.

Rafale manufacturer Dassault paid EUR 7.5 million to middleman to secure deal: Report

The portal claimed that the office of AG of Mauritius sent 'bogus' receipts allegedly raised by firms linked to Gupta to the CBI on October 11, 2018.

Reported By:DNA Web Team| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA Web Desk |Updated: Nov 09, 2021, 09:40 AM IST

Rafale manufacturer Dassault paid EUR 7.5 million to middleman to secure deal: Report

In some shocking revelations made by a French portal, Dassault Aviation, manufacturer of the Rafale fighter aircraft had paid a whopping 7.5 million euros to 'intermediary' between 2007 and 2012 to help it secure a multi-billion deal with India for the sale of Rafale fighter jets. The 'intermediary' in question is Sushen Gupta's Mauritius company Interstellar Technologies.

But what comes as even more shocking is the fact that the portal has claimed that the office of the Attorney General of Mauritius had sent 'bogus' receipts allegedly raised by firms linked to Gupta to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on October 11, 2018. The portal has shared an image of the letter from the Mauritius AG's office to the CBI.

It goes on to say that the documents were received by the CBI a week after a complaint was filed on the suspicious activity that took place from 2015 with regard to the deal. Indian investigative agencies however decided not to pursue the case, the French portal claims. 

The portal had earlier reported that middleman Sushen Gupta had supplied classified documents to Dassault Aviation on the activities of the Indian negotiating team. Gupta has been charge-sheeted by the Enforcement Directorate in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case.

Meanwhile, the CBI, Ministry of Defence, Dassault Aviation is yet to comment on the claims and charges made in the French portal's report.

"This was how Indian detectives discovered that Sushen Gupta had also acted as an intermediary for Dassault Aviation over the Rafale deal. His Mauritian company Interstellar Technologies received at least 7.5 million euros from the French aviation firm between 2007 and 2012, thanks to IT contracts that were clearly overbilled, and from which most of the money was discreetly sent to Mauritius using a system of alleged false invoices. Some of these invoices even got the name of the French company wrong, referring instead to 'Dassult Aviation'," the portal reported.

The portal raises fingers on both the UPA and NDA governments as a set of documents showed that Gupta received the 'secret commission' between 2007 and 2012 when the Congress-led UPA government was in power. On the other hand, the report also states that other documents obtained by Indian detectives show that in 2015, during the final negotiations of the Rafale contract, Sushen Gupta got hold of confidential documents from India's Ministry of Defence.