A 62-year-old businessman from Ahmedabad’s Thaltej area lost ₹8.26 lakh after cybercriminals posing as Adani Gas officials allegedly tricked him into sharing his phone screen during a WhatsApp video call.
The fraudsters threatened to disconnect his gas supply over an alleged unpaid bill and convinced him to enter his credit card details on a fraudulent website.
According to the complaint, the victim, Sanjaybhai Dave, received a message on September 21 claiming that his gas connection was at risk due to pending dues. The message directed him to contact a customer care number.
He subsequently received a WhatsApp message displaying the Adani Gas logo, along with an APK file and a link to an online form. The fraudsters then contacted him through a WhatsApp video call, claiming that his gas meter had been locked and required an update.
During the call, Dave was instructed to open the link and provide his credit card details to restore the connection. With his phone’s screen-sharing feature active, the fraudsters could view information displayed on his device.
The victim entered details of his ICICI Bank credit card, including its validity and CVV. When transaction alerts and OTP notifications began arriving, the caller allegedly misled him into believing they were part of the verification process.
The fraudsters later persuaded him to enter his HDFC Bank credit card details as well.
Over the course of an hour-long call, 22 transactions were reportedly carried out, resulting in a total loss of ₹8.26 lakh. Of these, 20 transactions were linked to his ICICI Bank card and two to his HDFC Bank card.
Dave discovered the fraud after receiving a call from HDFC Bank regarding suspicious transactions. He blocked both cards and contacted the cybercrime helpline at 1930.
The Cyber Crime Police have registered a case and launched an investigation.
