Tarun

My name is Tarun and I'm living in Canada, basically from India and Punjab state.

My name is Tarun and I'm living in Canada, basically from India and Punjab state.

We'll start from the beginning. One day, I woke up early, around 4 a.m., and I saw some missed calls from one of my family members, my cousin, and one from my sister. And I called my sister first, and she said, hey, where are you? And are you okay? She seemed panicked to me, and I asked her what happened. She said, okay, call your cousin. He will tell you the whole story.

We'll start from the beginning. One day, I woke up early, around 4 a.m., and I saw some missed calls from one of my family members, my cousin, and one from my sister. And I called my sister first, and she said, hey, where are you? And are you okay? She seemed panicked to me, and I asked her what happened. She said, okay, call your cousin. He will tell you the whole story.

Then I called my cousin. He said, hey, are you okay? And I said, yes, I'm okay. I'm at my house. What happened? He said, somebody impersonated you and called me. and say that I'm in trouble, I'm in jail for doing something really embarrassing. So I was surprised at that moment. How could somebody involve my cousin or my relative in such kind of thing?

Then I called my cousin. He said, hey, are you okay? And I said, yes, I'm okay. I'm at my house. What happened? He said, somebody impersonated you and called me. and say that I'm in trouble, I'm in jail for doing something really embarrassing. So I was surprised at that moment. How could somebody involve my cousin or my relative in such kind of thing?

Yes, yes. Actually, after a few months, I sent him the money that he lost. He wasn't asking for it, but I thought I should pay him back because it was all from his resources. And what would happen if he sent another 90,000 rupees to the scammer who lost around all of his money? Like he has kids to raise and his family. So I thought, okay, I would send him the 40,000 rupees that he lost.

Yes, yes. Actually, after a few months, I sent him the money that he lost. He wasn't asking for it, but I thought I should pay him back because it was all from his resources. And what would happen if he sent another 90,000 rupees to the scammer who lost around all of his money? Like he has kids to raise and his family. So I thought, okay, I would send him the 40,000 rupees that he lost.

As time passed, after several months, I got to see same stories or same scams on Facebook happening to other people as well.

As time passed, after several months, I got to see same stories or same scams on Facebook happening to other people as well.

I come from the Punjab in India, and so most of the population has migrated to foreign countries like Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand. And so there's hardly any person in India or in Punjab who doesn't know anybody in one of their relatives or friends who is living abroad.

I come from the Punjab in India, and so most of the population has migrated to foreign countries like Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand. And so there's hardly any person in India or in Punjab who doesn't know anybody in one of their relatives or friends who is living abroad.

So the scammers is taking the benefit of this fact that if you go to any random person in Punjab and ask them if he or she has any relative living abroad, I don't really think that anyone would ever say no to this fact.

So the scammers is taking the benefit of this fact that if you go to any random person in Punjab and ask them if he or she has any relative living abroad, I don't really think that anyone would ever say no to this fact.

In the end, when he gets the trust of the entity and he said, hey, are you alone? I want to talk to you something in private. If you're not, just get out of the house and I want to say something or I want you to do my favor.

In the end, when he gets the trust of the entity and he said, hey, are you alone? I want to talk to you something in private. If you're not, just get out of the house and I want to say something or I want you to do my favor.

The thing is, Punjab is roughly divided into Pakistan and some other regions of India. So if somebody is talking in Punjabi, it's the same language as the people living on the Indian side as well.

The thing is, Punjab is roughly divided into Pakistan and some other regions of India. So if somebody is talking in Punjabi, it's the same language as the people living on the Indian side as well.

The scammer, he called someone and the guy on the other side of the phone, he recognized him. Hey, I know you are a scammer. You've been calling to people in such a way and collecting the money. Why would you do that? And the scammer, he just got straight forward. He said, hey, you know, everything is not going in Pakistan well. We don't get any jobs. We are like unemployed.

The scammer, he called someone and the guy on the other side of the phone, he recognized him. Hey, I know you are a scammer. You've been calling to people in such a way and collecting the money. Why would you do that? And the scammer, he just got straight forward. He said, hey, you know, everything is not going in Pakistan well. We don't get any jobs. We are like unemployed.

So in any way, we have to get the money from the people. So this is the easiest way we can get money from the people.

So in any way, we have to get the money from the people. So this is the easiest way we can get money from the people.

Yes, because there are some parts in the Punjab who are like on the border side of the Pakistan. So their accent in the Punjab is kind of similar. So you cannot really tell.

Yes, because there are some parts in the Punjab who are like on the border side of the Pakistan. So their accent in the Punjab is kind of similar. So you cannot really tell.

Hey, I'm coming in India, Punjab in the next few months. And I want to send some money to you so that you can keep it safe. Because if I send to my family, they will just spend it all. And so the target gets some kind of confidence that, OK, he's sending me the money. So it is kind of legitimate.

Hey, I'm coming in India, Punjab in the next few months. And I want to send some money to you so that you can keep it safe. Because if I send to my family, they will just spend it all. And so the target gets some kind of confidence that, OK, he's sending me the money. So it is kind of legitimate.

And the target says, okay, I will send you money through Western Union or any other mode of transfer, and I will let you know.

And the target says, okay, I will send you money through Western Union or any other mode of transfer, and I will let you know.

So he gets another call and says, hey, have you got the money? He said, yes, I got the money. I got a call from the bank. So, OK, so everything going on really well. And in the end, he says, hey, I have money.

So he gets another call and says, hey, have you got the money? He said, yes, I got the money. I got a call from the bank. So, OK, so everything going on really well. And in the end, he says, hey, I have money.

friend living in your area maybe other side and he got into trouble and he needs some money as quick as possible so can you send him some amount of the money that i sent you earlier let's say one lakh indian rupees or two thousand dollars after a while he sends the money to the scammer and by the time the target realizes that he got scammed it's it's over it's too late for him to know

friend living in your area maybe other side and he got into trouble and he needs some money as quick as possible so can you send him some amount of the money that i sent you earlier let's say one lakh indian rupees or two thousand dollars after a while he sends the money to the scammer and by the time the target realizes that he got scammed it's it's over it's too late for him to know

I get this could be a possibility, but usually I don't share a lot of details about my family on the social media. So maybe there could be another way.

I get this could be a possibility, but usually I don't share a lot of details about my family on the social media. So maybe there could be another way.

So the target, he said, no, I'm not going to fall into such a trap with you. You had to drop this. You had to drop this idea. This is not good. But the scammer said, yes, but we have to earn some money in some way. So the scammer, he asked him to do him a favor, the target.

So the target, he said, no, I'm not going to fall into such a trap with you. You had to drop this. You had to drop this idea. This is not good. But the scammer said, yes, but we have to earn some money in some way. So the scammer, he asked him to do him a favor, the target.

He said, if you could give me details of your relatives or anyone in your friend's circle, and whatever the money I will get from them, I will send you the 20 or 25% of it. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

He said, if you could give me details of your relatives or anyone in your friend's circle, and whatever the money I will get from them, I will send you the 20 or 25% of it. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Yes, he said, like, if you give me details of your, like, anyone in your family or anyone in friend circle, whatever the money I would get from them by scamming them, I would send you like 20 or 25% of it. So this is like a win-win situation.

Yes, he said, like, if you give me details of your, like, anyone in your family or anyone in friend circle, whatever the money I would get from them by scamming them, I would send you like 20 or 25% of it. So this is like a win-win situation.

Yes. So then remember I told you that how this is, I guess this might be the way the scammer who scammed my cousin, he might have got some details about me and my cousin, maybe from my family or relatives, because I know them how they are. Not blaming them, but I think this has more possibility.

Yes. So then remember I told you that how this is, I guess this might be the way the scammer who scammed my cousin, he might have got some details about me and my cousin, maybe from my family or relatives, because I know them how they are. Not blaming them, but I think this has more possibility.

I guess not, because if he went for the guy, there would be no help from the police, I would say. I heard from some people on Facebook, they got scammed around $10,000, $15,000 in Punjab, and they reported an FIR to the police, but I never heard any of them getting to the scammer. So I don't really think that police would ever make any effort to catch the guy.

I guess not, because if he went for the guy, there would be no help from the police, I would say. I heard from some people on Facebook, they got scammed around $10,000, $15,000 in Punjab, and they reported an FIR to the police, but I never heard any of them getting to the scammer. So I don't really think that police would ever make any effort to catch the guy.

Because they have a lot of stuff to do.

Because they have a lot of stuff to do.

Even myself, I got two calls from a number in Pakistan. It has the area code of plus 92. And somebody said, hey, how are you? I said, yeah, I'm good. How are you? He said, hey, do you recognize me? I said, yes, you are that person. And I just made up some scenario. I said, hey, what happened to your wife? I heard he ran away with some other random guy. He said, oh, yes, it happened. It happened.

Even myself, I got two calls from a number in Pakistan. It has the area code of plus 92. And somebody said, hey, how are you? I said, yeah, I'm good. How are you? He said, hey, do you recognize me? I said, yes, you are that person. And I just made up some scenario. I said, hey, what happened to your wife? I heard he ran away with some other random guy. He said, oh, yes, it happened. It happened.

I asked him, hey, tell me how, explain me how it happened. He said, no, no, no, I will explain that to you later. Then he hung up the phone.

I asked him, hey, tell me how, explain me how it happened. He said, no, no, no, I will explain that to you later. Then he hung up the phone.