MLA Falls Victim to Cyber Fraud: Duped of ₹1.27 Lakh in Fortuner Auction Scam

Cybercrime is evolving, affecting both public figures and ordinary citizens. In a recent incident, fraudsters targeted Kushwaha Shashibhushan Mehta, the BJP MLA representing the Panki constituency, using a vehicle auction as bait. The criminals, impersonating GST customs officers, claimed to have seized vehicles in West Bengal, including a Fortuner. They then sent images of the vehicle, valued at ₹12.70 lakh, through WhatsApp, convincing the MLA to pay ₹1.27 lakh (10% of the vehicle’s price) to participate in the auction. A fabricated payment receipt was also provided. After receiving the money, the scammers went silent. The MLA has reported the fraud, which involved payments facilitated by his personal assistant, to the cybercrime police. In a related development, the Ranchi cyber police arrested Vijay Prakash from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, who allegedly swindled ₹23.95 lakh through fraudulent investment schemes advertised on YouTube. Prakash used fake investment advertisements to lure people into WhatsApp groups before defrauding them with false promises of high returns.