A new fraud scheme is targeting farmers who previously took loans from the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Punjab (ZTBL), with callers posing as company officers to offer fake free tractors and then hijacking victims WhatsApp accounts to extort money from their contacts.
According to details, women posing as bank officers contact citizens from various mobile numbers, referencing their past loans and offering a free tractor as compensation. During the call, the citizen is placed on hold while a fake online booking process for the tractor is shown to them.
While the conversation continues, a verification code is sent to the mobile phone of the citizen. Under the pretext of confirming the tractor booking, the caller obtains this code and uses it to hijack the WhatsApp account of the victim on another device.
Previously, this fraud was carried out mainly by men, but the network has now recruited women with persuasive voices to expand the operation.
Once the WhatsApp account is compromised, the fraudsters access the address book of the victim and send messages to their contacts, requesting money under false pretenses.
Citizens report that these fraud networks have links extending into government institutions, allowing them to obtain banking data and identify potential targets.
The scheme has raised concerns among farmers and account holders across Punjab, many of whom say they were unaware their past loan records could be used to make such offers appear credible.
