Doctor Loses Lakhs After Solving Puzzles

Cybercriminals are adopting new tactics despite increasing awareness and security measures. In a shocking case, a retired doctor from Hyderabad lost ₹10.11 lakh after fraudsters used the names of billionaire entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg to deceive him. The scammers reportedly contacted the victim and promised him a free Tesla car, gold, and cash rewards if he successfully solved a series of puzzles.

To gain his trust, the fraudsters sent AI-generated videos showing Tesla cars being loaded onto cargo aircraft. After the doctor completed the puzzles, they claimed that the rewards were on their way to India and demanded payments for customs clearance, delivery charges, insurance, import duty, and fuel expenses. Believing the story, the 70 year old retired doctor transferred money in multiple installments to different bank accounts. Although family members warned him about the fraud, he continued making payments. The scam came to light only after relatives became suspicious and blocked the phone numbers and bank accounts involved. Following a complaint filed by the victim’s son, cybercrime police registered a case and launched an investigation.