Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Indore Tile Trader Loses ₹2.5 Lakh in WhatsApp Scam
A tile seller in Indore got a message advertising cheap tiles.
The people behind the message showed him a catalogue and arranged a truck to make the offer look real.
They even paid the driver ₹5,000 to load the tiles.
The seller checked the loaded truck during a video call.
The scammers then asked him to pay quickly.
He sent almost ₹2.5 lakh from several bank accounts.
After receiving the money, the scammer turned off the phone.
The transport company later told the seller that the loading had been staged as part of the scam.
A tile businessman in Indore was allegedly defrauded of ₹2.5 lakh through a WhatsApp discount offer.
Fraudsters used a product catalogue, transporter details, and a ₹5,000 token payment to make the deal appear genuine.
The victim confirmed the tile shipment through a live video call with the driver.
He transferred ₹2,49,999 in multiple instalments using QR codes after first sending ₹1 as a test payment.
Police registered a case under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
- Who
- Tile businessman Saddam Patel was allegedly targeted by cyber fraudsters.
- What
- He allegedly lost ₹2.5 lakh in a fake WhatsApp tile-sale scheme.
- When
- The alleged fraud occurred between August 26 and August 28, 2026.
- Where
- The case was reported in the Kshipra police station area of Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- The fraudsters allegedly used a fake discount offer and staged shipment loading to gain his trust and obtain payment.
- Victim
- Saddam Patel, a tile businessman from Kadwa village
- Reported loss
- ₹2.5 lakh, including a final transfer of ₹2,49,999
- Fraud method
- Fake WhatsApp discount offer supported by a product catalogue PDF
- Staged evidence
- Fraudsters paid a transporter’s driver ₹5,000 to load the truck
- Payment method
- Multiple QR-code transfers from the victim’s, his brother’s, cousin’s, and friend’s accounts
- Police action
- A case was registered under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
- Investigation
- Police are tracking the bank accounts and digital trail allegedly used in the crime