The saddest story in the newspapers this morning is not from Gaza. It is from Mumbai. About a septuagenarian couple who lost over Rs. 4 crore in an online fraud. A cyber-conman lured them with a Rs. 11 crore Provident Fund payout that he said was due to them 20 years after retirement. He asked for their bank details.
And then for a transfer of money so that TDS, GST and IT on the PF amount might be paid for the Rs. 11 crore to be deposited in their account. Next thing the elderly couple knew, was that they
had been taken to the cleaners for Rs. 4 crore.
I don’t know what happens to people at a time like this. What leads them to trust the unfamiliar voice of an unidentified caller with their bank account, PAN Card and Aadhar Card and then share OTPs with this smooth talker who immediately wipes out their life savings. A person would have to be utterly simple,
absurdly innocent and unreservedly naïve to willingly fall for a deception so large. Enthusiastically trusting, too. And definitely greedy. It is this itch for more that the fraudster knew about and
used against them. I feel sorry for such people. Who wouldn’t welcome an unexpected windfall? I am a big target of the online scamster. I get a thrill out of receiving spam mail informing me about mega million jackpots I have won, unclaimed cash bequeathed to me by a mysterious donor, airline tickets, exotic holidays, an iPhone 15 Pro, shopping credits, and one charlatan banker from Ankara in Turkey wanted me to join him in claiming and sharing $15,500,000 left by a dead account holder with my name and no nominee. I enjoy playing their game. I string the hoaxers along with eager questions. Till
they ask for my bank details. Then I go incommunicado. Leaving them frustrated.
About Mark Manuel
The above thoughts/content has been proudly copied from the wall of Sir Mark Manuel. Being interviewing almost every role model of this country and going stronger each day. Mark Manuel is a respected Mumbai editor, writer, and columnist.
With over three decades of journalism in leading publications. This includes the Free Press Journal, Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Mid-Day, and Afternoon. He is famous for his brilliant pen interviews. He himself is a TEDx speaker.
Further
His interviews have been featured in several leading media houses. They include the Hindustan Times, Huffington Post, BBC, and Network 18. Almost every famous person has been interviewed by him in the country from Mother Teresa to Muhammad Ali. His first book is just out. It’s titled Moryaa Re! It is a crime thriller that is perhaps the country’s first police procedural. He began his career covering crime. And in a tribute to his experience and knowledge of this beat.
Several distinguished officers of the Mumbai Police and its Crime Branch collaborated with him to make this book possible. Amitabh Bachchan wrote the forward in a statement of friendship for Mark Manuel and admiration for his work.
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