Social Influencer fell prey to a sophisticated cyber scam

Mar 6 / Nayanika
In a recent incident, influencer Akanksha Thakral fell prey to a sophisticated cyber scam, losing ₹1,10,000 after responding to a phone call from an individual posing as an Axis Bank official. Thakral shared her ordeal in a viral video, cautioning others about the perils of fraudulent KYC (Know Your Customer) verification schemes.
The scam commenced when the caller claimed her KYC update was pending. Despite her initial reluctance, the scammer persistently contacted her, urging that the process could be completed remotely. Thakral received a WhatsApp link directing her to a counterfeit Axis Bank KYC update page, where she inadvertently entered her details. Within minutes, she received an alert that ₹50,000 had been debited from her account. In a state of panic, she attempted to log out of all UPI apps, but before she could act further, additional funds were withdrawn, leaving her with only ₹800, which she swiftly transferred to another account.

Thakral later discovered that clicking the fraudulent KYC link had enabled the scammer to install a message spoofing app on her phone, granting them access to her financial information. Expressing her frustration over the lack of support from law enforcement, Thakral mentioned that both the police and cybercrime officials were dismissive. In her video caption, she warned others, stating, "I lost money, but more than that, I had that sinking feeling of someone tracking my phone. I rebooted it, but that creepy feeling remained. The police weren't helpful. I'm sharing my story so no one else goes through this. Never click on any link—message spoofing is real."

This incident serves as a critical reminder to remain vigilant against online fraud and to avoid clicking on suspicious links. Let us spread awareness and protect ourselves from such scams.

Read more : Link
Created with