The Digital Pawn
A Saga Warning Against AI and Loan App Blackmailing
The evenings in Kutch have always been peaceful, but today there was a different kind of turmoil in Kabir's heart. Kabir, who was busy building a small logistics business with his hard work day and night, was a very straightforward and honest person by nature. In his life, technology was only for work, not for emotions. But two months ago, 'Aastha', whom he met on Instagram, had filled his empty life with colors.
Aastha’s profile was very polished—pictures full of simplicity, posts about social work, and a 'successful business consultant' tag. When the conversation started, Kabir felt that Aastha understood him better than anyone else in the world. She would listen to Kabir's struggles, ask about his parents' health, and encourage him in every difficult time. Kabir started feeling that he had found his soulmate.
One evening, when Kabir was worried about the losses in his business, Aastha said with great empathy:
"Kabir, you work so hard, yet the traditional business is not giving you the returns you deserve. I invest in a new decentralized crypto-mining platform. In 2026, there is no risk in this through smart contracts. I want all your troubles to end. You just start with ₹50,000 as I say."
Immersed in love and trust, Kabir clicked on the link sent by Aastha without a second thought. The app’s interface looked completely genuine. Kabir put in the money, and the very next day, a profit of ₹5,000 appeared on his dashboard. Seeing the credibility as per Aastha's suggestion, he invested another ₹2 lakhs. Kabir was happy that his future was being secured.
Three days later, when Kabir was in dire need of money for his business, he tried to withdraw funds from the app. An error appeared on the screen—"Account Frozen. Please deposit 20% security tax."
The ground slipped from beneath Kabir's feet. He immediately called Aastha, but the number was switched off. Her profile had vanished from Telegram, Instagram, and everywhere else. Kabir understood that the 'Aastha' he considered his life was just an AI-generated face and a cunning fraudster who had looted his hard-earned money. Kabir sat alone in the room and cried; the pain of his shattered hopes was greater than the loss of money. Kabir had not yet fully recovered from the trauma of the crypto scam. Aastha's betrayal had not only broken him financially but had also left him hollow from within. He would just think day and night about how someone could murder another person's trust like this. But in this digital world of 2026, the criminals didn't have time to apply ointment to Kabir's wounds; they were preparing for his second blow.
On Wednesday morning, Kabir was sitting in his office looking at the accounts when he received a call from an unknown number. A serious, robotic, and official voice echoed from the other end:
"Am I speaking to Kabir Sodha? I am calling from the FedEx Courier Head Office, Mumbai. A parcel in your name, which was going from Mumbai to Taiwan, has been seized by the Customs Department. 5 illegal passports, 20 grams of MDMA (drugs), and a laptop have been found in it."
The pen slipped from Kabir's hand. He said in a panic, "Sir, I have not sent any such parcel. I live in Gandhidham; I have nothing to do with this."
The person on the other side said in a stern voice, "Your Aadhaar card is linked to this parcel. This is a serious national security matter. I am immediately transferring your call to the CBI Cyber Cell. Please stay on the line."
Kabir didn't even get a chance to compose himself. The call immediately shifted to a Skype video call. As soon as the screen turned on, Kabir was stunned. There was a setup like a police station. A stern-faced woman officer wearing an Indian police uniform was sitting there, with government boards and files visible behind her. That woman read out Kabir's name, Aadhaar number, and address, which were absolutely correct.
The woman officer (who was actually a cunning fraudster) said sternly:
"Kabir, a case of money laundering and drug smuggling has been registered against you. According to the orders of the Supreme Court, you are under 'Digital Arrest' from this very moment. You cannot disconnect this phone, you cannot message anyone, and you cannot leave this room. If you try to move away from the camera, the local police will arrest you within 10 minutes."
There was silence in the room. Kabir’s throat went dry; a storm of fear rose in his chest, making it hard to breathe. He remembered the faces of his elderly parents—if the police came home, what would happen to their honor in society? This very fear of infamy took away Kabir's ability to think and reason.
For the next three hours, that woman mentally tortured Kabir severely. She told Kabir that if he was innocent, he would have to prove his 'financial purity'. For this, he would have to transfer his entire bank account balance (which was about ₹1,50,000) to a 'Safe Verification Account' of the RBI. The money would be returned in half an hour once the investigation was completed.
Reaching the peak of fear and panic, Kabir transferred his remaining capital to that bank account without thinking. As soon as the transaction was 'Successful', the Skype call suddenly disconnected. Kabir tried to call again, but that account had been deleted.
Kabir sat on the floor of the room. Tears were streaming from his eyes. In the name of those who protect the law, using the fear of the law itself, he had been brought to the streets once again.
2
The last two scams had turned Kabir into a living corpse from within. He started disconnecting every unknown call and had completely distanced himself from social media. But Kabir did not know that criminals could take advantage of his silence as well. The technology of 2026 had given scammers the power to steal the voices of his loved ones from their social media videos, without even speaking to Kabir.
On Saturday afternoon, Kabir was sitting in his office when a call came from an unknown number on his phone. Kabir ignored it at first, but when the same number rang continuously three times, he picked up the phone out of fear of something untoward.
As soon as he put the phone to his ear, the sound of screaming and crying came from the other side. That voice was of Kabir's younger brother, 'Rohan', who was studying in college while living in Ahmedabad.
Rohan’s trembling and weeping voice echoed:
"Bhaiya... please save me! I have had a terrible accident. A car hit me... the person in front has sustained very serious injuries, and their family members are threatening to kill me. The police are also putting me in the lockup... Bhaiya, I am very scared; these people will kill me!"
Kabir’s heart skipped a beat. He could recognize Rohan's voice in any corner of the world—the same tone, the same nervousness, and the same style of calling him 'Bhaiya'. A chill ran down Kabir's spine. He asked in a panic, "Rohan! Calm down, little one, where are you? Tell me the location, I am coming right now!"
Just then, a man with a heavy and stern voice took the phone from the other side, identifying himself as a local police constable:
"Look Kabir, your brother has hit the son of a wealthy man. If this becomes a court case, his career will be ruined forever. The other party is ready to settle the matter for ₹2,00,000. If you want to save your brother's future, transfer ₹1,00,000 to this number immediately as an advance, otherwise, we are sending him straight to jail. You have only 15 minutes."
The sounds of Rohan crying and pleading, "Bhaiya, please save me," were constantly coming from the background. Kabir's mind had gone numb. All his previous bitter experiences paled in comparison to the blood relation of his younger brother and the fear for his life. For a brother, his younger brother was his life. Without wasting a single moment, Kabir transferred ₹1,00,000 from his business emergency fund to the provided UPI number.
As soon as the money was transferred, the call disconnected. Panting, Kabir immediately called the same number back, but it started showing as invalid.
In a state of panic, Kabir called Rohan’s real number. It rang three times, and Rohan picked up the phone in a very calm voice, "Yes Bhaiya, tell me. What happened? I am sitting in the college library."
The phone slipped from Kabir's hand and fell on the table. Rohan's same weeping voice was still echoing in his ears. He sat back in his seat and clutched his head. Today, Artificial Intelligence has crossed all boundaries of technology to prey on the most delicate emotion of a brother's heart. Rohan's voice was completely fake, prepared (cloned) by an AI tool using only a 3-second audio sample taken from one of his old college videos on the internet. In today's era, scammers steal the voices of your loved ones from social media (Reels, YouTube videos) and generate identical fake audio through AI tools, which gives a completely real feeling of crying, screaming, or fear.
Defense: Whenever such an 'emergency' call comes, instead of panicking, first disconnect the call and verify the truth by calling that relative's original number directly. Keep a 'secret code word' decided among your family, which can identify the rea
l and the fake during a crisis.
3
The last three incidents had mentally shattered Kabir completely. He was now living in a state of constant, unknown fear. Going to the office had become a mere compulsion; his mind was not at peace anywhere. He had given strict instructions to his parents at home not to trust any stranger. But Kabir had forgotten that scammers could knock on his doorstep wearing the mask of his own name, not just through the phone.
On Thursday afternoon, Kabir was busy with an important meeting at the office. Meanwhile, a young man wearing a reputed courier company's T-shirt arrived at his house in Gandhidham on a motorcycle. He rang the doorbell. Kabir’s elderly father opened the door.
The young man standing outside had a shiny, well-packed box in his hand. He asked in a very professional and polite tone:
"Namaste Uncle, is this the house of Kabir Sodha? A parcel containing an imported gadget has arrived for Sir, which he had booked on 'Cash on Delivery' (COD). The total amount is ₹4,999."
Adjusting his glasses, Kabir’s father looked at the parcel. Kabir’s name, his exact mobile number, and home address were clearly printed on the box. His father thought that perhaps Kabir had ordered something necessary for his business or home. He thought of calling Kabir to check, but the delivery boy showed urgency while looking at his wristwatch:
"Uncle, I have many more parcels to deliver. Kabir Sir's number is busy right now; I tried. If you don't make the payment, this parcel will be returned, and Sir had an urgent need for this."
His father remembered that Kabir had been very worried for the past few days. He thought, why not pay the money and keep the parcel so that his son's work wouldn't be hindered? Kabir’s father took ₹5,000 from his pension money kept in the cupboard and gave it to the young man. The boy returned ₹1, handed over the parcel, started his motorcycle, and sped away.
In the evening, when a tired and defeated Kabir returned home, his father smilingly placed that shiny box before him and said, "Kabir, this courier of yours came in the afternoon. You were in a meeting, so I paid ₹4,999 and kept it."
Seeing the parcel, sweat appeared on Kabir’s forehead. He had not ordered anything online recently. With a deep sense of fear, Kabir cut the seal of the box with a cutter. As soon as the box opened, Kabir and his father were stunned. There was no gadget inside that expensive-looking box—instead, it contained scraps of newspaper and an ordinary piece of stone.
Kabir’s father stood frozen in his place. The sorrow of losing his hard-earned pension money and the regret of not being able to help his son were clearly visible in his eyes. Kabir hugged his weeping father. He realized that the criminals had purchased his name, address, and phone number from some dark web or leaked database, and by taking advantage of this precise information, they had cheated his elderly father's innocence. Scammers use leaked e-commerce data to prepare fake parcels with your name and address. They deliberately come to the house at a time when the earning member is away, so that elderly people or children at home pay without verifying.
Defense: Give strict instructions to family members not to accept any Cash on Delivery parcel without your confirmation. If any courier arrives, first speak directly on the phone to the person who ordered it. Never make a payment in haste at the behest of a delivery boy.
4
After the courier scam, Kabir's entire family was shaken. Kabir had decided that he would now personally monitor every small or big thing in the house. It was the month of May, and the heat in Kutch was at its peak. The sun was spitting fire during the afternoon, and it was difficult to sit in the house for even a minute without a fan or AC. Kabir had just returned home from the office and was having tea with his parents.
Just then, a message arrived on his mother's phone. Seeing the message, the color drained from his mother's face. She handed the phone to Kabir in a panic. The message read:
"ALERT: Dear consumer, your last month's electricity bill has not been updated. Your house's electricity will be disconnected tonight at 9:30 PM. To avoid inconvenience, contact our electricity officer immediately on this number: 987X-XXXXXX."
His mother said fearfully, "Kabir, if the electricity is cut at night in this terrible heat, your father's health will deteriorate. He has breathing problems; he will not be able to live without a fan or cooler. Please look into it; we had paid the bill on time."
Kabir immediately checked his receipts. The bill had indeed been paid. But the message seemed so official and the fear of the electricity being cut at night was so great that Kabir called the given number without thinking.
A very professional voice came from the other side, "Welcome to Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) customer care. Tell me, how can I help you?"
Kabir said, "Sir, my bill is paid, yet I have received a message about electricity disconnection."
The fake officer said very sympathetically:
"Sir, do not panic. Actually, due to our new 2026 digital system update, some bills are appearing as pending. I will clear it online in the system right now. For this, you will have to download our department's support app on your phone and pay a 'system update fee' of only ₹10. Your electricity will not be disconnected."
That person sent a link to Kabir on WhatsApp. As soon as Kabir clicked on that link, an app was downloaded (which was actually a screen-sharing malware app). As soon as that app was installed, the hacker got full live access to Kabir's phone screen.
The officer said, "Now open the app and enter your net banking or UPI PIN to pay ₹10."
As soon as Kabir opened his UPI app and entered his secret PIN, the hacker watched his PIN live on Kabir's screen. Kabir thought he was transferring ₹10, but the very next moment, three messages arrived on his phone one after another:
₹50,000 debited...
₹30,000 debited...
₹20,000 debited...
The last ₹1,00,000 deposited in Kabir's bank account had also vanished. Kabir shouted, "Hello! Hello! Why is my money being deducted?" But the call had disconnected.
Kabir clutched his head. His mother and ailing father were watching him helplessly in the room. The electricity of the house was not cut, but once again darkness had descended upon Kabir's life. In the trap of just ₹10 and the fear of electricity disconnection, he had himself handed over the keys to his phone to the criminals. No electricity board, gas company, or government department ever sends a message threatening electricity disconnection from a personal number. Nor do they ever ask you to download any unknown app over the phone. When you download an app from an unknown link, it shows your phone's screen to hackers. Your passwords, OTPs, and PINs—everythi
ng comes in front of them.
5
The fifth consecutive betrayal had broken Kabir's spirit completely. His logistics business was on the verge of shutting down, his bank accounts were empty, and he felt ashamed to even look his parents in the eye. Kabir wanted to earn back his lost money at any cost so that he could provide a secure life for his family. Criminals had gauged this helplessness and mental vulnerability of his.
On Saturday morning, when Kabir was sitting dejectedly, searching for 'work from home' opportunities on the internet, he received a message on his WhatsApp from a girl named 'Neha'. She wrote:
"Namaste Kabir ji, I am HR Neha from 'Global Digital Media' company. We have a very easy part-time job. You just have to like some YouTube videos daily and send us their screenshots. You can earn ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 daily from your phone while sitting at home. Are you interested?"
Kabir initially thought this might be another scam, but then he wondered what harm there could be in just liking videos. He replied—"Yes, I want to do the work."
Neha immediately sent him three YouTube links. Kabir opened those videos, liked them, and sent the screenshots to Neha on WhatsApp. Within 10 minutes, a message appeared on Kabir's phone: "₹150 credited to your bank account."
A sparkle returned to Kabir's eyes. The money had actually arrived in his account. He felt that perhaps this company was genuine and his luck was about to change. After this, Neha said, "Very good Kabir! Now you will get bigger tasks. For this, you will have to join our official Telegram group 'VIP Earners'."
As soon as Kabir joined the Telegram group, he saw that about 500 people were connected there, continuously sending screenshots of how they earned ₹10,000 or ₹20,000. (Kabir did not know that 90% of the members in that group were fake and were the scammers' own men).
The next day, the group admin announced a 'Prepaid Task'. He said:
"This is a merchant investment task. If you deposit ₹2,000, you will get back ₹2,800 in 15 minutes. This is necessary to increase our company's rating."
Trusting them, Kabir transferred ₹2,000. 15 minutes later, ₹2,800 actually arrived in his account. Kabir's trust had now turned into blind faith. He felt he would recover all his previous losses from here.
The very next moment, the admin gave a bigger task: "Now it is a VIP task. On depositing ₹10,000, you will get ₹15,000." Kabir took money from his shop's cash box and sent ₹10,000. But this time, the money did not come back. The admin messaged: "System Error! To withdraw this money, you have to complete a ₹30,000 'Recovery Task', otherwise your ₹10,000 will also be lost."
Kabir panicked. In an attempt to save the lost money, he borrowed ₹30,000 from a friend and sent it as well. As soon as he sent the money, the admin made another excuse: "Final stage—deposit a tax of ₹50,000, then your total ₹95,000 will be transferred to your account."
Kabir's head began to spin. He messaged both Neha and the admin, cried, and begged for mercy in his helplessness, but from the other side, only one reply kept coming—"Deposit the money, or forget the old money." 5 minutes later, Kabir was blocked from that Telegram group, and Neha banned him on WhatsApp.
Kabir rested his head on his office table and sobbed uncontrollably. Because of the greed for just a few hundred rupees and his own compulsions, he had also put his reputation and his friends' trust at stake. Criminals win your trust initially by giving you ₹100-₹500. After that, they start asking you to deposit money in the name of 'tasks'. When you deposit a large sum, they block you and disappear.
Defense: No legitimate company ever asks you to deposit money in exchange for giving you work. If someone asks for money at the very beginning of a job, understand that it is 100% fraud.
6
The sixth consecutive betrayal had ground Kabir’s self-respect into the dust. He began to feel all alone in his own city of Gandhidham. His business was on the verge of closing down, his bank accounts were empty, and he felt embarrassed to meet his parents' eyes. In such a phase of loneliness, a person often searches for support that can make them feel that they still matter in this world. This mental loneliness and weakness of Kabir were targeted this time by an international network.
Kabir received a friend request on Instagram from a girl named 'Elisa', who, according to her profile, was a fashion designer from London. Elisa was extremely beautiful, and her lifestyle was very affluent. When Kabir accepted her request, Elisa initiated the conversation herself.
She would praise Kabir's simplicity, sympathize with his struggles, and invite him to visit London. Kabir felt as if luck was finally smiling upon him. A girl so rich and beautiful had become his friend.
After about three weeks of conversation, Elisa sent Kabir a video on WhatsApp. A luxurious mall was visible in the video. Elisa said:
"Kabir, you are my best Indian friend. I have bought some gifts for you and your parents. It includes the latest iPhone, a gold chain, branded watches, and some British Pounds (foreign currency) to help you. I have sent it to India via courier; you will get it in two days."
The very next day, Elisa WhatsApped Kabir a courier receipt and a tracking number, on which Kabir's name and address were printed perfectly. Kabir was in a mixed state of happiness and hesitation as to why he had accepted such an expensive gift despite refusing.
Two days later, early in the morning, Kabir received a call from an unknown number from Delhi. On the other end was a woman’s voice, speaking in a very stern, English-mixed Hindi:
"Am I speaking to Kabir Sodha? I am Senior Officer Sarita Sharma from the Customs Department of Delhi International Airport. Your friend Elisa from London has sent a parcel in your name. Scanning has revealed that along with expensive items worth ₹5 lakhs, there is also a large amount of foreign currency in this parcel."
Kabir said in a panic, "Yes, my friend has sent it."
The female officer said in a stern voice:
"Listen Kabir ji, according to Indian law, you cannot order such foreign currency and such expensive items via courier without declaration. This is a serious crime under 'Anti-Money Laundering' and smuggling. If you want to avoid going to jail and legal action, then you have to deposit ₹35,000 as government 'Custom Duty' and 'Penalty Fee' for this parcel right now. As soon as the money is received, we will release the parcel from Delhi to your address."
Kabir was stunned. Hearing the mention of jail and police, his old wounds were refreshed. He immediately messaged Elisa on WhatsApp. Pretending to cry, Elisa said, "Oh God Kabir! You are in trouble because of my pounds. Please, pay that fee; once you get the parcel, you can get those pounds cashed and get your money back. Please, it is a matter of my honor!"
Relying on Elisa's words and fearing the law, Kabir arranged ₹35,000 by selling the last stock of his shop at throwaway prices and transferred it to the bank account provided by the female officer.
An hour after sending the money, the alleged customs officer called again: "Kabir ji, the value of your parcel is higher, so now another ₹50,000 will be required for the RBI clearance certificate."
Kabir finally realized the shock. He understood that he had been trapped in a very big web once again. In anger, he said he did not want the parcel and that his money should be returned. The phone was disconnected from the other end. When Kabir checked Elisa's profile, she had blocked Kabir from everywhere. That courier receipt, that Elisa, and that customs officer—everything was part of a well-planned conspiracy.
Kabir sat slumped against the wall of his empty office. He had not just suffered a financial scam; his simplicity and sense of friendship had been cruelly mocked once again. Pretending to be a foreign friend and sending expensive gifts or foreign currency is a very old and cunning fraud. Criminals themselves call posing as customs officers and extort money by showing the fear of legal action. No customs department or government agency in India ever asks any citizen to transfer money into a personal bank account. All fees for courier companies or customs are paid only through official government challans. Do not trust the claims of expensive gifts from any
unknown social media friend.
7
After taking seven consecutive hard slaps (setbacks), Kabir's self-confidence had completely collapsed. The shop rent was overdue, creditors were calling, and managing household expenses was becoming difficult. To escape this severe economic crisis, Kabir decided to sell old items from his home. He took out some antique silver coins from his grandfather's cupboard, an old brass lamp, and an old wooden sofa from the house.
Kabir took pictures of all these items and posted them for sale on OLX and Facebook Marketplace. He set the price of the sofa at ₹8,000 and the historical coins at ₹15,000. Kabir hoped that with this ₹23,000, he would be able to pay the shop's rent for this month.
Within just half an hour of posting, Kabir received a call on his phone. A very disciplined, stern, and cultured voice echoed from the other side:
"Jai Hind, Kabir ji! I am Subedar Vikram Singh speaking, currently posted at the Bhuj Military Camp. I saw your sofa and those old coins on OLX. I really like both items for my official quarters. I am ready to pay you the full price, i.e., ₹23,000, for them. No bargaining."
Kabir felt a lot of relief. On one hand, his items were selling immediately, and on the other, the buyer was a soldier of the country. Kabir said, "Jai Hind, Sir! When will you come and pick up the items?"
The fake soldier (who was actually a very cunning thug) said:
"Kabir ji, I am currently on duty, so I cannot come myself. I will send a military truck in the evening to pick up the items. But according to army rules, I have to make the payment online now to close the accounts. I am sending you money from our 'Military Merchant Wallet'."
Kabir said, "Okay Sir, please take my UPI number."
In just a few seconds, that person sent a QR Code to Kabir on his WhatsApp. The Indian Army logo was printed on the top of that code, which made it look completely genuine. Vikram Singh said on the phone:
"Kabir ji, due to security reasons, direct transfers are not made from military accounts. I have loaded ₹23,000 digitally into this QR code. You just scan this code from your Google Pay or PhonePe app, enter your UPI PIN, and this entire amount will be immediately deposited into your bank account."
Kabir hesitated a little due to previous scams. He asked, "Sir, the PIN is entered to send money, right?"
Vikram Singh immediately said in a slightly angry and stern tone:
"Kabir ji, are you doubting a soldier's integrity? This is not a normal account; this is the government's 'Army Gateway'. Here, you have to verify yourself by entering the PIN even to receive money. If you don't trust me, I will cancel the deal."
Seeing the anger of a soldier and his own helplessness, Kabir's doubt vanished. He felt he was making a mistake by doubting a true patriot. The dire need for money clouded his logical thinking. Kabir immediately opened his UPI app, scanned that QR code, and entered his secret PIN.
As soon as Kabir clicked on 'Submit', no message came about money being received on his phone. Instead, a red pop-up flashed on his screen:
₹23,000 debited from your account.
The ground slipped from beneath Kabir's feet. He shouted on the phone, "Sir! What happened? ₹23,000 has been deducted from my account, they haven't come!"
The fake soldier on the other side said very cunningly, "Oh! It seems there is some glitch in the army software. Your money has been put on hold with us. Don't worry, I am sending you another 'Recovery QR Code'. This time if you scan it, your deducted ₹23,000 and the sofa's ₹23,000—that is a total of ₹46,000—will come back together."
Kabir now understood the entire reality. He said in anger, "You are not a soldier, you are a fraud!" Hearing this, the phone was disconnected from the other end. When Kabir called again, the number had gone into the block list. Kabir looked at those coins of his grandfather in helplessness. The items remained in the house, but the last ₹23,000 saved for the shop's rent had also vanished into thin air through that QR code. Criminals on sites like OLX win people's trust by posing as soldiers or paramilitary personnel. They never come to see the items and pretend to send money immediately without bargaining.
QR Code Rule: Always remember that a QR code is scanned ONLY to send money. There is never a need to scan a QR code or enter a UPI PIN to receive money.
8
After suffering eight consecutive betrayals, Kabir's entire existence had fallen apart. The pressure from creditors had increased to such an extent that out of shame, he had stopped going to his shop. Friends, relatives, and neighbors—everyone started looking at him as a failure. Kabir could not sleep at night. He just prayed to God for some miracle that would clear all his debts so he could live with his head held high again. Amidst this helplessness, another trap was laid for him.
On Monday afternoon, a shiny digital poster appeared on Kabir’s WhatsApp. The poster featured the 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' logo, a picture of Amitabh Bachchan, and in big letters, it was written: "Congratulations! Your number has won a jackpot of ₹25,00,000 (25 lakh rupees) in the All India SIM Card Lucky Draw."
There was also an audio recording attached with the poster. As soon as Kabir played it, a very polished and cultured voice echoed:
"Namaste! I am Lottery Manager Rana Pratap Singh speaking from the main office of KBC in Mumbai. Your mobile number has won a lottery of 25 lakh rupees. The file to transfer this money to your bank account is ready. To receive your lottery money, immediately make a WhatsApp call only on the number given below. Please note, normal calls will not go through."
Kabir took a deep breath. He said to himself, "Kabir, be careful. This is definitely some new fraud." He tried to ignore the message. But at night, when he saw his ailing father coughing without medicines, his heart sank. He thought, "What if this is true? What if God has actually heard me? What is the harm in just making a WhatsApp call to ask?"
The next morning, Kabir made a WhatsApp call to that number. On the other side, the same Rana Pratap Singh said, "Congratulations Kabir ji! Your name and number are approved in our system. The cheque for ₹25 lakh is absolutely ready. But Kabir ji, you know that the Government of India levies tax on such a large amount."
Kabir said fearfully, "Sir, I don't have the money. Please deduct the tax from that 25 lakh and give me the remaining amount."
Rana Pratap Singh explained in a very practical tone:
"Kabir ji, I wish that were possible. But according to government rules, the lottery money is sealed in the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) locker. To open it and process your file, you have to deposit ₹12,500 separately in a government account as 'GST and Filing Fees'. As soon as you send the receipt of this fee, ₹25 lakh will be transferred to your account in the next 10 minutes. If you don't do this by this evening, this money will be transferred to someone else."
The amount of ₹25 lakh had dominated Kabir's mind. He felt that ₹12,500 was nothing compared to ₹25 lakh. He mortgaged his mother’s gold earrings, the last remaining jewelry, to a nearby goldsmith, took ₹12,500, and transferred it to the account provided by Rana Pratap Singh.
After sending the money, Kabir sat with his heart in his mouth. 15 minutes later, he received another call. Rana Pratap Singh said, "Kabir ji, very good. Your file has reached Delhi. But now the Income Tax Department has raised an objection to this. You have to pay an 'Anti-Corruption Clearance' of ₹25,000, otherwise, the previous ₹12,500 will also be confiscated."
It was as if lightning had struck Kabir’s head. He said while crying, "Sir, I gave the money after mortgaging my mother’s jewelry. Now I have nothing left, please return my money." But the voice on the other side had changed, "Deposit the money, or you will go straight to jail." And with that, Kabir's number was blocked.
Kabir sat in the corner of his house and looked at his mother's empty ears. In the hope of a miracle, he had put the last remaining dignity of his family at stake. That fake lottery poster had pushed Kabir into a darkness from which there was no way out. No legitimate company or government institution gives a lottery to any citizen through such a 'SIM Card Lucky Draw'. Criminals use pictures of KBC and famous celebrities only to win trust. According to the rules of the Government of India, tax on any prize or lottery amount is always deducted from the main amount itself. No legitimate institution ever asks you to deposit money from your ow
n pocket before giving a prize.
9
After losing his mother's last remaining jewelry to a lottery fraud, Kabir had slipped into a deep depression. He couldn't even look anyone in the eye within his own home. Now, the only support in his life was his mobile phone, through which he was trying to contact the remaining clients of his logistics business. Kabir felt he could now identify every fraud, but he didn't know that this time, the scammers wouldn't attack his phone; they would take his phone number away from him forever.
On Thursday morning, Kabir was sitting at his office desk when he received a text message on his mobile. The message header contained the name of a well-known telecom company. The message warned: "Dear customer, your SIM card verification (KYC) is incomplete. According to government rules, your SIM card will be permanently blocked at 8:00 PM tonight. To keep your SIM active and upgrade to free 5G/6G services, enter your information immediately via the link below."
Kabir read the message and panicked. His bank account, his UPI ID, and all his business contacts were linked to this one number. If this number were deactivated, Kabir would be cut off from the entire world. Without wasting a moment, he clicked on the link provided in the message.
As the link opened, a website appeared in front of Kabir that looked exactly like his telecom company's official portal. There was a form asking for his name, [Aadhaar Redacted], date of birth, and at the bottom, the 'SIM card number' (ICCID – printed on the back of the SIM). Kabir thought the company was performing its verification, so he took the SIM out of his phone, filled in that secret number printed on the back into the form, and clicked 'Submit'.
The website displayed: "Your verification was successful. Your phone may be switched off for the next 2 hours for a network update."
About half an hour later, the network signal (tower) on Kabir's phone suddenly disappeared completely. "No Service" appeared on the screen. Kabir thought this was the same network update mentioned on the website, so he sat quietly.
But Kabir did not know that a scammer sitting in a corner of another city far from Gandhidham had used the information and SIM number provided by Kabir to show a fake ID at a telecom company store and had activated a 'duplicate SIM card' in Kabir's name. As soon as that fake SIM was activated by the criminals, Kabir's real SIM card was permanently deactivated.
Now, Kabir's number was working on the criminals' phone. All transaction alerts and OTPs for Kabir's bank accounts were going directly to the scammers' phone.
Kabir kept sitting in his office, while on the other side, the criminals reset his net banking password. Kabir did not receive any message on his phone because his SIM was blocked. The criminals used up the remaining limit in Kabir's business account and the full capacity of his credit card to wipe out a total of ₹1,80,000.
In the evening, when Kabir reached the official store of the telecom company in distress and complained, the manager checked the system and said, "Sir, this SIM of yours was blocked in the afternoon because you yourself had a new duplicate SIM issued from another shop."
Kabir's head spun. He immediately called customer care from his friend's phone to check his bank balance. When the bank official informed him that all the money had been withdrawn from his account, the phone slipped from Kabir's hands and fell. Kabir sat on his knees by the side of the road. This digital world had not only taken Kabir's money, but it had also stolen his entire digital identity and his number. In this fraud, criminals steal the unique number written on the back of your SIM and your personal information to activate a duplicate SIM card in your name. After this, your phone's network disappears, and all OTPs start going to the criminals. No telecom company ever performs SIM KYC through an unknown link provided in an SMS. For a SIM upgrade or KYC, it is mandatory to visit an official store and provide biometric (thumb impression) verification. If your phone's network disappears suddenly for no reason and does not return for several hours, do not take it lightly. Immediately contact your telecom company and your bank to secure your accounts. Never share the number written on the back of your SIM card with anyone.
10
The SIM swap fraud had left Kabir completely destitute. The taunts of creditors and the crowd of people coming to his house every day to demand money had made his life miserable. His reputation in the market was destroyed, so no one was willing to lend him even a single rupee. Kabir was completely broken. Day and night, he kept looking for a way to repay his debts on the internet. Amidst this desperation, one night while scrolling through Facebook, his eyes fell on an advertisement:
"Credit King App: Get a loan of ₹50,000 directly into your bank account in just 2 minutes without any CIBIL score and without any paperwork. Easy installments, low interest."
Kabir thought this was a miracle sent by God. Without wasting a moment, he clicked on the ad and downloaded an app named 'Credit King'. As soon as the app was installed, it asked for some permissions on the screen—"Allow access to contacts," "Allow access to gallery," "Allow access to camera." At that moment, Kabir was only obsessed with getting money; without reading, he clicked 'Allow' on everything. He entered his [Aadhaar Redacted] and PAN number.
He had applied for a loan of ₹50,000, but within just 2 minutes, only ₹3,500 was credited to Kabir's account. Kabir was shocked. When he checked the app, he discovered that ₹1,500 had been deducted as 'processing fees' and the loan tenure was only 7 days. Kabir thought he would somehow manage to repay this money.
But the real hell started on the sixth day.
Early in the morning, Kabir received a WhatsApp call from an unknown international number. A person on the other side spoke in extremely abusive and derogatory language:
"Hey Kabir! Your loan deadline is ending tomorrow. Pay ₹8,000 quietly, or be prepared to face the consequences."
Kabir, trembling, said, "Brother, I had only taken ₹3,500, and the deadline is tomorrow. I will pay the money tomorrow." But the person on the other side hung up.
By 9:00 AM the next day, Kabir could not arrange the money. Then a message appeared on his WhatsApp that made his heart stop. That message contained a picture of Kabir, which had been morphed using an AI tool with obscene and offensive content. Below it was a screenshot of Kabir's entire contact list, where the numbers of his father, his sister, his friends, and business clients were clearly visible.
Below was a threatening voice note:
"If ₹15,000 is not transferred to our account within the next 10 minutes, this nude photo will be sent to every single person in your family by creating a WhatsApp group. We will tell your sister and your father what kind of pervert you are."
It was as if a thunderbolt had struck Kabir. A cold chill ran down his spine. He locked himself in the room and started crying and gasping for breath. He could see his social reputation turning to dust. To save his reputation and the honor of his family, Kabir begged his friend and borrowed ₹15,000 and sent it to that criminal.
Kabir thought that everything was over now. But half an hour later, a message came from a different number: "This was just for one app, we have another file of yours. Now give us ₹20,000 more, or we will make the photo viral right now."
Kabir realized that this was an endless quagmire. As soon as he installed the app, the criminals had stolen his entire phone gallery and contact list. They were not going to stop even after taking the money. Kabir started staring at the fan while sitting in a dark room alone. The faces of his elderly mother and father flashed before his eyes. He was so mentally tortured that thoughts of ending his life started occurring to him. These are networks of Chinese and international criminals who lure people by offering instant loans without any rules. Their main objective is not to give a loan, but to blackmail you by stealing your phone's data (gallery and contacts).
Prevention: Never download unauthorized loan apps from the Play Store or any unknown link. Always ensure that the loan-providing app is associated with a bank or NBFC registered with the RBI. Never give access to your gallery or contacts wh
ile installing an app.
11
After barely managing to escape the loan app blackmailers and filing a complaint with the cyber cell, Kabir was completely terrified. He was suffering from deep mental trauma. He would stay awake all night, staring at the walls of his room and crying over his fate. When a person is so mentally broken, they live in constant, unknown stress. Amidst this stress and profound loneliness, one night, something happened to him that he had never even imagined.
It was around 11:30 PM on a Tuesday. Kabir was lying in bed when suddenly, a video call started coming to his WhatsApp from an unknown number. The profile picture featured an image of a very decent and beautiful girl. Kabir initially ignored the call, but when it rang again, he thought it might be a business client or someone who had lost their way. Reluctantly, he pressed the green button and answered the call.
As soon as Kabir turned on his front camera, his eyes widened at the sight on the other side of the screen.
There was no ordinary girl sitting there to talk. A young woman was standing on the screen without clothes and was performing highly obscene acts. Kabir's mind went numb. Before he could understand anything or disconnect the phone, the call cut off on its own within just 5 seconds. Kabir's heart was pounding; out of fear, he immediately blocked the number and kept the phone aside.
But the game had just begun.
Just 10 minutes later, a video and some screenshots arrived on Kabir's phone from a different number. As soon as Kabir played the video, his blood ran cold. Through screen recording, Kabir’s face was clearly visible in the video, and right next to him was the same naked girl. The criminals had cleverly recorded that part of Kabir's face when he was staring at the screen in shock. The video looked as if Kabir himself was a part of that obscene video call.
Immediately after the message, a call came. A very harsh and terrifying voice echoed from the other side:
"Hey Kabir Sodha! Seen your video? Now listen carefully. Transfer ₹50,000 to our account, or this video will be uploaded to Facebook and YouTube within the next half hour. And yes, we have the WhatsApp numbers of all your relatives and friends from your profile; this video will be tagged to everyone."
Kabir’s entire body started trembling. Darkness clouded his vision. In the loan app case, there was only a photo, but here, it was his own video. He started thinking that if this video reached his parents, his society, or his friends, he would not be able to show his face to anyone. He began to plead on the phone, crying:
"Brother, it is a matter of my mother's and sister's honor, I will be ruined. Please don't do this, I haven't even done anything. I don't have money, everything I had is already looted."
The blackmailer laughed and said, "We don't care about your story. If you value your honor, arrange ₹50,000 in 15 minutes, or get ready to see the YouTube link."
Kabir opened his cupboard, remembering his last remaining savings and the wristwatch his grandfather had given him. He called a distant friend and, making up a false excuse, asked to borrow ₹30,000. Kabir transferred that ₹30,000 to the UPI account provided by the thug.
As soon as the money was sent, Kabir tried to heave a sigh of relief, but 5 minutes later, another call came. This time, the person on the other end identified himself as a 'Senior Digital Officer of YouTube':
"Kabir Ji, an obscene video of yours has come to YouTube for upload from the cyber cell. We have orders from above. If you want to get this video permanently deleted from the server, you will have to pay a 'Google server deletion fee' of ₹40,000, otherwise, this video will go public."
Kabir fell onto his bed. He realized that this was a bottomless pit. These people would never stop even after taking money because they have his video safe. At this peak of shame, fear, and panic, Kabir did not know whether to live or end his life right there. Criminals create profiles of fake girls and target men during the night. As soon as the video call is answered, they play an obscene clip and record the victim's face to blackmail them. After this, they extort more money by posing as fake police or YouTube officials.
Prevention: The first rule—never answer WhatsApp or social media video calls from unknown numbers. If a call is answered by mistake, immediately place your finger over your phone's front camera or cover the camera.
12
All previous incidents had completely drained Kabir, both mentally and financially. By now, he had almost nothing left to lose. During this time, Kabir had transferred an online payment of ₹15,000 to a vendor to handle his old, struggling business. However, due to a network error, the money was deducted from Kabir's account but did not reach the vendor. The status in the bank account showed 'Pending'.
Kabir was already struggling for every penny, so getting ₹15,000 stuck like this became a new headache for him. He panicked and immediately opened Google on his mobile to search for: "Paytm / State Bank of India Customer Care Toll Free Number."
At the very top of the Google search results, a number was shining as an advertisement: 1800-XXX-XXXX (24x7 Help Desk). Kabir thought that since it was appearing at the top of Google, it must be the correct and official number. Without thinking, he dialed that number.
After two rings, a very polite and professional voice came from the other side:
"Namaste, welcome to Digital Support Core Banking. I am Senior Customer Associate Rahul Sharma speaking. Tell me, sir, how can I assist you today?"
Kabir heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Sir, I transferred ₹15,000. The money has been deducted, but the recipient hasn't received it. Please get me a refund; I am in a lot of trouble."
The fake customer care officer pretended to check Kabir's account details, and some computer sounds were heard in the background. Then, in a very empathetic tone, he said:
"Kabir ji, do not panic at all. Your money is stuck on the National Payments Corporation (NPCI) server. According to the new 2026 banking rules, to refund this manually, I will have to link your phone to our refund server. For this, please open the Play Store immediately and download a small government support app called 'AnyDesk' (or TeamViewer)."
Kabir thought the customer care representative was helping him, so he immediately installed the app. As soon as the app opened, a 9-digit code appeared on the screen. Rahul Sharma said, "Kabir ji, please dictate that 9-digit code to me so we can connect your screen to our server." Kabir dictated the code.
As soon as the code was provided, a pop-up appeared on Kabir's phone screen requesting permission for remote control. The moment Kabir clicked 'Allow', the game completely turned against him.
Now, Kabir had the phone in his hand, but its complete control had gone to the computer of the thug sitting miles away. Rahul said, "Now, Kabir ji, for verification, please open your net banking or any UPI app."
As soon as Kabir opened his banking app, Rahul was watching everything happening on his screen live on his computer. Kabir entered his password and PIN. Taking access to Kabir's phone, Rahul transferred the remaining ₹45,000 limit of Kabir's business credit line to an unknown merchant account right before Kabir's eyes.
Kabir saw his phone's cursor moving on its own and money being transferred. He shouted, "Hey! What is happening on its own? Why is my phone not working? Where are you sending my money?"
Rahul said in a cold tone, "Kabir ji, this is part of the refund process; do not touch the screen." But the very next moment, Kabir's phone completely blacked out, and the call disconnected. When Kabir turned his phone back on, ₹45,000 had been wiped from his account, and that fake number had disappeared from Google. Kabir sat at his table, banging his head and crying. He had invited the criminals to help him and had handed over the complete keys to his phone into their hands.
After losing the remaining ₹45,000 from his business in the customer care scam, Kabir was now completely broken. Due to the pressure from creditors and the poverty at home, sadness permeated his house every day. Kabir's mother and ailing father now prayed to God day and night for any way to manage their livelihood. When a person is going through extreme poverty and distress, even the smallest help from the government feels like a major lifeline.
On Wednesday afternoon, Kabir's mother was making dry rotis in the kitchen when a message arrived on her simple mobile phone. Mother called out to Kabir, "Kabir, son, look at this! A message has come from the government."
Kabir took the phone from his mother's hand. The message read: "Under the Government of India's 'PM Free Solar Panel and Gas Subsidy Scheme', a cash subsidy of ₹5,000 and a free solar panel have been approved for your family. To receive the amount directly into your bank account and to book the solar panel, register your form immediately on the national government portal below: [Link]."
At the end of the message, a small logo of the national emblem (Ashoka Pillar) was present, and the word 'gov' was used in the website name, making it appear exactly like a genuine government website.
A ray of hope shone in the eyes of Kabir's mother. Looking at Kabir, she said, "Son, if we get this ₹5,000, then your father's medicines for this month can be bought, and the electricity bill can also be managed a bit. The government is truly helping the poor like us."
Kabir himself was extremely helpless. He felt that since it was a government website, there would be no risk. As soon as he clicked on that link, a page opened in his phone's browser. Large banners of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Power of the Government of India were placed at the top of the page. A form opened there, asking Kabir for some information:
Beneficiary's name and [Aadhaar Redacted].
Bank Account Number and IFSC code.
Net banking username or UPI ID.
Kabir thought that since the subsidy was to be transferred directly to the bank, asking for bank details was natural. He honestly filled in all the information regarding his mother's bank account in the form and pressed the 'Submit' button.
As soon as Kabir clicked submit, the screen displayed: "Verification process is ongoing. Enter the 6-digit 'Verification Code' (OTP) sent to your mobile below to transfer the subsidy."
At that very moment, an OTP arrived on his mother's phone. Kabir, without reading it, entered that OTP into the box on the fake government website and clicked 'Confirm'. Kabir forgot to check that the message he had received was not for receiving a subsidy, but a 'UPI Registration OTP' for debiting money from his mother's account.
As soon as Kabir entered the OTP, a wheel started spinning on the page, and the screen suddenly went white. The very next moment, two messages arrived one after another on his mother's phone:
UPI Registration Successful.
₹14,500 debited from your savings account.
The color drained from Kabir's face. His mother's bank account, in which she had saved every penny she could from her lifelong small savings, totaling ₹14,500, had been completely emptied.
Kabir's mother sat down on the threshold of the kitchen. The rolling pin dropped from her hand to the floor. Her tears dripped onto the dry rotis. Kabir gripped his head with both hands. He was so angry at his own foolishness that he wanted to scream. This time, the criminals had taken advantage of Kabir's poverty and his unwavering trust in the government t
o snatch away the last morsel from his home.
13
All the money in the house was gone. Even the ₹14,500 from his mother's bank account had been swindled in the name of a government scheme. Kabir now bore not only the responsibility of feeding himself but also the heavy burden of his mother's tears and the medical expenses for his ailing father. Kabir would stay awake all night, thinking, wishing for some small miracle so that he could keep the kitchen running.
Then, on Friday evening, a message flashed on Kabir’s phone. The message was in the exact format as those he often received from his bank:
"Dear customer, your accumulated reward points worth ₹8,500 on your credit card are going to expire tonight at 11:59 PM. To redeem them for cash and transfer them to your bank account, click on the bank's redemption link below: [Link]."
Kabir read the message twice. He thought, "I have made many payments with this card over the last two years. These ₹8,500 are points from the money I have spent myself. This is not charity; it is my right. If I get this money, I can at least put some money back into my mother's account and buy groceries for the house."
In times of hardship, a person’s mind tends to follow hopes rather than logic. Without wasting a moment, Kabir clicked on the link.
The website that opened looked exactly like his bank's credit card portal. It featured the bank's logo, grand claims of security, and the same familiar blue-and-white layout.
There was a button on the website—"Claim Now." As soon as Kabir clicked it, a form opened asking for the following information:
Credit card number
Card expiry date (MM/YY)
The 3-digit CVV number on the back of the card
Mobile number linked to the card
Kabir felt that the bank would need all this to validate the reward points. With trembling fingers, he filled in all the details of his credit card. As soon as he clicked 'Submit', the screen displayed: "Enter the One-Time Password (OTP) sent to your mobile so that the amount can be sent directly to your account."
Just then, an OTP message appeared on Kabir's phone screen. In his nervousness and haste, Kabir only looked at the 6 digits of the 'OTP', but he forgot to read the crucial line below the message which stated: "Do not share this OTP. You are authorizing a transaction of Rs. 49,990 at XYZ Merchant."
Kabir entered that OTP on the fake website and clicked 'Confirm'.
There was a two-second silence. Kabir kept looking at the screen, waiting for the message confirming the credit of ₹8,500. But then, the message that arrived swept the ground from beneath his feet:
"Alert: An online transaction of ₹49,990 from your credit card has been successful. Your remaining credit limit is now ₹10."
Kabir's breath hitched. He slammed his head against the wall. He screamed, "No! This cannot be! God, what have I done!"
The criminals had lured Kabir with the temptation of ₹8,500 and wiped out his entire credit card limit (₹49,990) in one go. Now, Kabir had no money left in the bank, and the credit card, which was his last hope, was burdened with a new debt of ₹50,000 that he would have to repay to the bank with interest by next month. Kabir sat on his knees in the corner of his room. His self-respect in his own eyes had completely died. He began to wonder if he was truly that foolish, or if this world had become so cruel that it wanted to snatch away the very breath of a helpless person.
14
The credit card fraud had left Kabir mentally devastated. He now had a new debt of fifty thousand rupees with no source of repayment. Creditors were calling incessantly. The situation in his home had reached a point where the kitchen was almost running out of food. Kabir decided that he was ready to do any small job, provided he could get some money immediately. He would stay awake all night searching for "work from home" or "part-time job" on the internet.
On Saturday morning, Kabir received a message from an unknown number on his WhatsApp. The sender's profile picture featured a professional HR woman. The message read:
"Namaste! I am Neha from 'Global Media Solutions'. We have a very easy part-time job for you. You just need to like the YouTube videos we provide and send us a screenshot. You will get ₹50 for every single like. You can earn ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 daily from home. Are you interested?"
Kabir thought, what is the harm in liking videos? There is no money to be invested here, and there is no risk. He immediately replied, "Yes, I want to do this work."
Neha sent Kabir links to three YouTube videos. Kabir opened the links, liked the videos, and sent their screenshots to Neha on WhatsApp. Within 5 minutes, Neha said, "Great! Provide your UPI ID so that we can send your first salary."
Kabir provided his UPI ID, and the very next moment, a message appeared on his phone: "₹150 credited."
Kabir's eyes lit up. For the first time in his life, he felt that some work was truly easy and genuine. He thought that if he liked 50 videos in a day, his ₹2,500 would be guaranteed.
After this, Neha told Kabir, "Kabir ji, seeing your good work, we are promoting you to our 'VIP Telegram Channel', where you will get big tasks and your earnings will be doubled." Kabir immediately joined that group on the Telegram app.
About 200 people were connected in that Telegram group. Every few minutes, people were posting screenshots: "I got ₹8,000 today," "I earned ₹15,000 from this task, thank you ma'am!" Seeing all this, Kabir's trust strengthened even more. He did not know that 90% of the people present in that group were accomplices of the scammers themselves, posting fake screenshots.
Just then, the group 'tutor' announced a new task called a 'welfare task' or 'prepaid merchant task'. The tutor said:
"Friends, now we have crypto trading and merchant booking tasks. In this, you have to deposit a little money first, and our company will give you a direct 30% commission on it. For example, if you deposit ₹1,000, you will get back ₹1,300 in 10 minutes."
Kabir, initially afraid, transferred ₹1,000. He created an account on a fake website as instructed by the tutor. His balance started showing ₹1,300 on the screen. Kabir put in a request for withdrawal, and ₹1,300 actually came into his bank account.
Kabir's greed and belief were now at their peak. He felt that this was the way through which he could repay all his old debts.
The next day, the tutor gave a big task: "Super VIP task—invest ₹50,000, return ₹75,000."
Kabir did not have the money. He pawned his mother's gold earrings, which were his last hope, at a local goldsmith's shop, took ₹50,000, and transferred it to the account specified by the thug.
Kabir's balance on the website started showing ₹75,000. Kabir was happy and tried to withdraw it. But an error appeared on the screen. Kabir immediately messaged the tutor. The tutor said:
"Kabir ji, your credit score has decreased a bit. To withdraw this money, you will have to deposit another ₹30,000 as 'system tax', otherwise your ₹50,000 will be frozen forever."
Kabir panicked. Weeping and wailing, he begged an old friend, borrowed ₹30,000, and transferred that as well. Now the balance on the website was showing ₹1,15,000. But when Kabir tried to withdraw again, the tutor made a new excuse: "Your account is blocked; it will take another ₹50,000 to unblock it."
Kabir's mind went numb. He realized that he had been trapped in a very large and well-planned web. He had lost his mother's last remaining jewelry and had also become a debtor to his friend. When Kabir started crying and making a scene in the group, the admin immediately removed him from the group and blocked his Telegram account. Looking at his empty hands and his mother's bare ears, Kabir sat on th
e floor. He was completely ruined.
15
After pawning his mother's earrings and losing eighty thousand rupees to a part-time job scam, Kabir had become a living corpse. He would lie on his bed all day; his eyes were swollen, and the spark in his face had completely faded. He began to consider himself a criminal, believing that his entire family was now on the streets because of him. But fate still had the most terrifying test of Kabir's endurance left.
Around 10:00 AM on Monday, Kabir received a call from an unknown number. He picked up the phone reluctantly. From the other side, a robotic, computer-generated voice spoke:
"Namaste, this is FedEx Courier Services. An international parcel sent in your name has been seized by the Mumbai Customs Department. Press 9 immediately for more information."
Panic-stricken, Kabir immediately pressed 9. The call was instantly transferred to a customer care agent. Kabir said, "Hello, I haven't sent any parcel."
The agent on the other side said in a very serious tone, "Sir, is your name Kabir Sodha? Is your [Aadhaar Redacted] number XXXX-XXXX-XXXX? A parcel was booked from Mumbai to Taiwan using this very Aadhaar card of yours. During customs checking, 5 fake passports, 3 illegal laptops, and 150 grams of MDMA (a narcotic drug) were recovered from that parcel. This is a non-bailable, serious offense. We have handed over this case to the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police. Stay on the line; I am transferring your call directly to the Mumbai Police Headquarters."
The ground slipped from beneath Kabir's feet. Drugs? Fake passports? He had never even been to Mumbai. Before he could speak, the sounds of a police wireless set began echoing on the phone.
A heavy and authoritative voice spoke:
"I am Inspector Vijay Rathore from the Mumbai Crime Branch. Kabir Sodha, a case has been registered against you under drug trafficking and money laundering. A warrant for your arrest has been issued."
Kabir started crying, "Sir! I swear, I haven't done anything! I am at my home in Gujarat. Someone must have misused my Aadhaar card."
The fake inspector scolded Kabir, "Shut up! According to court orders, to trust your statement, we must immediately conduct your 'written statement' and 'verification of identity'. Download the 'Skype' app on your phone immediately and video call our ID. Remember, if you tell this to your family or cut the call, you will be sent to jail immediately on charges of treason."
Kabir was so terrified that his entire body was drenched in sweat. He immediately downloaded Skype and made the video call.
As the video call started, Kabir saw a person sitting in front of him wearing a police uniform. Behind him was the entire setup of a police station; maps of India and the national emblem were hung on the wall. Two or three other people in police uniforms were seen flipping through files. The entire atmosphere was so real that anyone would have been deceived.
Fake Inspector Rathore glared at Kabir and said:
"Kabir Sodha! Until the certificate of your innocence arrives from the Supreme Court, you are under our surveillance under 'Digital Arrest'. Close the door of your room. The camera will remain on. You will not move away from the camera for even a second. If you step out of the room or talk to anyone, your mother and father will also be made co-accused and arrested."
For Kabir, that room had become a prison. He sat in front of the camera with his hands folded. Afternoon turned into evening; Kabir was neither allowed to drink water nor go to the restroom. The criminals had mentally paralyzed him completely.
At 8:00 PM, the fake inspector told Kabir:
"Kabir, to prove your innocence, we have to investigate your bank accounts. You have to transfer all the money present in your account to our 'Government Security Account'. If you are found innocent, your money will be transferred back to you along with the court order within half an hour."
Kabir said, crying, "Sir, only ₹12,000 is left in my account. I have nothing else."
The criminal shouted, "Then ask your friends! If you do not deposit the security deposit of ₹2 lakhs, we will bring your sister to the police station right now."
Kabir trembled at the mention of his sister's name. Putting all his dignity and shame aside, he called three or four of his friends, begged them, and with folded hands, arranged for ₹1,50,000. Kabir transferred that entire amount to the 'Government Security Account' specified by the criminals (which was actually a fake merchant account).
As soon as the money was transferred, the video call suddenly disconnected. When Kabir tried to call again, that ID had been deleted. Kabir opened the door of the room, ran out, and fell to the floor, weeping loudly. To save his life and dignity, he had held himself hostage in a room where he was robbed without a single wall being breached.
16
Kabir had not yet recovered from the shock of the "digital arrest" when his friends began pressuring him to return the money they had lent him. Kabir had no existence left of his own. He would search for some way to get out of this misery every day. Meanwhile, while scrolling through Facebook, his eyes fell on a video of a well-known and trusted Indian businessman. In the video, the businessman was saying:
"If you also want to earn 20% to 50% profit every day from the stock market without any risk, join our special VIP group. We will give you secret information about upper-circuit stocks and VIP IPO allotments."
Kabir did not know that this video was not real, but that the businessman's voice and face had been falsely prepared using AI deepfake technology. Kabir clicked on the link provided below and immediately joined a WhatsApp group named—"Excellence Wealth Club - Circuit Gains".
A person claiming to be a senior portfolio manager of a large financial institution in the group would share stock market analysis and big talk every morning. The rest of the members of the group (who were actually fake robotic accounts of scammers) would post screenshots of their profits every day: "Today I earned ₹2 lakhs with the help of this group!", "I got a direct allotment in Tata's new IPO through the VIP quota!"
Kabir contacted the group admin. The admin told Kabir:
"Kabir ji, if you trade through a regular broker app, you will never get a big profit. Our institution has a direct tie-up with foreign investors. Immediately download the 'Wealth-Max' app from the link provided by us. We will provide you with a VIP institutional quota, through which you will get a 40% profit on every share from the very first day."
Kabir downloaded the app from that link. The app's layout was so magnificent and professional that live stock market charts, Nifty, Sensex, and global market data were running in a completely real-looking manner.
As per the admin's suggestion, Kabir initially loaded only ₹10,000 into the app's wallet. Following the tutor's instructions, he invested money in a penny stock (a low-price share). The very next day, Kabir's portfolio on the app's dashboard started showing ₹15,000 instead of ₹10,000. When Kabir placed a request to withdraw ₹5,000, that money immediately came into his bank account.
Kabir felt that God had heard him. This app is completely real, and magical profit is truly happening here.
The next week, the group tutor announced:
"A very big block deal is going to happen. Any member who invests ₹5 lakhs in this will be guaranteed a return of ₹12 lakhs within three days. This opportunity comes only once a year."
Kabir was obsessed with repaying the debt of the creditors. He thought that if he earned ₹12 lakhs, all his debts would be cleared, and he would be able to live with his dignity again. He mortgaged the documents of his ancestral house built in his parents' name to a local moneylender and took a loan of ₹5 lakhs. Kabir transferred the entire ₹5 lakhs into the VIP account of that fake app.
Within two days, Kabir's balance on the screen started showing ₹11,80,000. Kabir was overjoyed, and with trembling hands, he pressed the 'Withdraw' button to transfer the entire amount to his bank account.
But the money did not come into the account. The screen displayed: "Transaction Pending".
Kabir immediately messaged the admin. The admin gave a very cold and professional reply:
"Kabir ji, your profit has exceeded ₹6 lakhs. According to the rules of the Indian Income Tax Department, you will first have to pay 30% 'Capital Gains Tax' on this profit. You will have to deposit ₹2,04,000 separately into our tax account, only then will your fund be released. You cannot deduct this tax from your main balance."
Kabir was completely stunned. He said, "Sir, I do not have a single rupee left now. You deduct the tax from my profit itself and give me the remaining money."
The admin said in a stern tone, "This is against the rules of the system. If you do not pay the tax by tomorrow evening, SEBI will seize your account on suspicion of money laundering and your ₹5 lakhs will be lost forever."
Kabir was completely ruined. He realized that he had been caught in the web of a virtual world where the figures visible on the screen were true, but they were never going to reach his bank account in reality. He had also lost his ancestral home. He fell to the floor, exhausted. The criminals had locked every breath of his, every hope of his, and even the last roof of his family in their safe.
Criminals deceive people by using deepfake advertisements on social media and the names of famous portfolio managers. They make the victim download a fake app that looks exactly like the real one. The profit and trading graphs seen in the app are completely fake and programmed. When the victim tries to withdraw money, the thugs demand more money in the name of tax, SEBI penalty, transfer fees, or activation charges. They never return your money, because that money was never invested in any stock market, but had gone directly into the criminals' bank accounts. Never download a trading app from an unknown link based on suggestions from WhatsApp or Telegram groups. In India, invest only through SEBI-registered brokers (such as Zerodha, Groww, Angel One, etc.) by downloading the app from the official Play Store. Always verify the broker's SEBI
registration number before investing.
17
After losing five lakh rupees by mortgaging his father's ancestral house to a fake stock market app, mourning had descended upon Kabir's home. The moneylender came to the house every day, threatening to evict them. The family was struggling to afford even two square meals a day. Kabir's ailing father's medicines had run out, and his condition was becoming critical. Desperate, Kabir managed to retrieve a few remaining old silver coins of his mother from the safest corner of his cupboard and sold them to a nearby goldsmith, arranging ₹8,000.
The goldsmith had transferred the money to Kabir's bank account. Now, Kabir desperately needed cash to pay the doctor's fee and buy life-saving medicines for his father. It was around 9:30 PM. Kabir ran toward a deserted ATM cabin at the corner of the street. There was no guard posted outside, and the cabin lights were dim.
Kabir entered the cabin. Right behind him, another person wearing a cap entered and began pretending to talk on the phone while standing directly behind Kabir. Kabir was so lost in worry about his father's illness that he paid no attention to the stranger behind him.
Kabir took out his ATM card and inserted it into the card slot (where the card is inserted). But as soon as it went in, the card got stuck. Kabir tried to pull it, but it wouldn't come out. There was no response on the machine's screen either. Kabir panicked and started pressing the machine's buttons randomly.
Just then, the stranger standing behind him said in an extremely helpful tone:
"Brother, don't worry. This machine's card reader is a bit loose. Do one thing, enter your PIN number and press the 'Cancel' button twice; the card will come out on its own."
Kabir was nervous; without thinking, he entered his secret four-digit PIN on the keypad right in front of that person. The eyes of the thug standing behind were fixed on Kabir's fingers. He recorded Kabir's PIN code in his mind completely (this is called shoulder surfing).
Kabir entered the PIN, but the card still did not come out. Then the stranger said, "Let me try pulling it a bit." He pushed Kabir aside slightly, inserted his finger into the slot, and with great cunning and agility, pocketed Kabir's real ATM card, replacing it with a defunct fake card of the same bank that he had pulled out of his pocket and stuck into the slot.
He told Kabir, "Brother, this card is stuck very badly. Do one thing, go to the bank tomorrow morning and get it removed. Go home now, it is very late."
Kabir thought he was right. He assumed the fake card stuck in the machine was his own, left it there, and walked out of the cabin empty-handed with a heavy heart. He was wondering how he would buy the medicines now.
But as soon as Kabir stepped out of the ATM cabin and walked a few steps on the road, his phone began receiving a series of messages:
Alert: ₹5,000 in cash has been withdrawn from your account.
Alert: Shopping of ₹2,500 has been done from your account.
Alert: An online transaction of ₹500 from your account was successful.
The ground slipped from beneath Kabir's feet. His ATM card was stuck in the machine, so how was money being withdrawn? He immediately reached into his wallet, but the card wasn't there. He ran back inside the ATM cabin. The cabin was empty, the stranger was gone, and the card stuck in the machine belonged to someone else.
The criminals had played a double game with Kabir. They had already installed a very thin 'skimmer device' over the ATM machine's card slot, which copies all magnetic data from the card as soon as it is inserted. Additionally, the stranger stood behind Kabir, watched his PIN, and in the blink of an eye, replaced Kabir's real card, deceiving him with a fake one. The last ₹8,000 brought for his father's medicines had also gone into the criminals' pockets. Kabir sat on the roadside and wept bitterly at his helplessness.
Thugs attach an extra electronic chip (skimmer) over the card reader of the ATM machine, which steals the card's data. Along with this, they install a small hidden camera above the ATM keypad or stand behind you to steal your PIN. Later, they create an exact clone of your card and empty your account. Under the guise of helping, criminals very skillfully replace your real card and hand you an old or blocked card of the same bank.
Whenever you go to an ATM cabin, before inserting your card, pull the card slot slightly to see if any extra device is stuck to it. When entering your PIN, always completely hide (cover) the keypad with your other hand. Do not let any stranger come near you inside the cabin and do not take help from anyone. If your card gets stuck in the machine, immediately call your bank's customer care app or toll-free number to get the card blocked; do not trust any stranger standing near the machine.
18
After the fraud at the ATM, Kabir did not have a single rupee left for his father's medicines. Due to the mortgage on the house, the moneylender had hung a "House for Sale" board outside. The entire family was struggling for every penny. Just then, Kabir remembered that he had a small piece of ancestral barren land lying empty outside the village. He started looking for ways to sell the land or generate some income from it.
During that very time, Kabir received a call on his phone. The caller identified himself as a 'Nodal Officer' of one of the country's biggest telecom companies. He spoke in a very serious and professional voice:
"Namaste, Kabir ji. Our company is installing a new 5G mobile tower to increase network capacity in your area. In our satellite mapping, your empty land has been found perfectly suitable for this tower. If you agree, our company will give you an advance agreement amount of ₹30 lakhs and a monthly rent of ₹50,000. Additionally, one member of your family will also be given a government job."
Kabir felt as if his sinking boat had found a shore. ₹30 lakhs advance and ₹50,000 rent every month! Kabir agreed immediately without thinking twice.
The very next day, fake agreement papers with government seals, an approval letter on the company's letterhead, and a forged NOC certificate in the name of the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, were sent to Kabir's WhatsApp. Seeing the shine of these documents, Kabir was completely taken in by their ploy.
Then, the alleged officer called again:
"Kabir ji, all your papers have been approved. Now, to send the tower machinery to your address, you will have to deposit ₹45,000 as government tax and registration fees. This money is refundable and will be returned along with your ₹30 lakh advance."
Kabir did not have the money, but this time he thought that since he was going to get ₹30 lakhs, this was not a losing deal. He sold his mother's last remaining small piece of jewelry after pleading with neighbors and transferred ₹45,000 to the account specified by the thug.
As soon as the money was transferred, the thug's tone changed. He said, "Sir, ₹60,000 more will be needed for the NOC, otherwise your previous money will also get stuck." Kabir immediately realized that he had been cheated with the same old trick again. He shouted in anger, "I don't want to install any tower, return my ₹45,000, or else I will file a complaint with the police!"
Without fear, the thug said in a very cold voice, "Oh, so you will go to the police? Now watch what we do." And he disconnected the phone.
Kabir was trembling with anger. Just then, the network on his mobile suddenly disappeared. "No Service" started appearing on the screen. Kabir thought it might be a simple network problem. He went to a nearby mobile store.
Just then, a new message arrived on Kabir's WhatsApp. It was from the same Nodal Officer:
"Kabir, your phone is now in our possession. Now, your entire identity has become ours."
Kabir was stunned. He showed his phone to the mobile store owner. The owner checked it and said, "Brother, this physical SIM card of yours has been deactivated. This number has been upgraded to an 'e-SIM' from your company, and that e-SIM has been activated in another device."
The ground slipped from beneath Kabir's feet. The criminals had used the details of Kabir's [Aadhaar Redacted], which he had sent for the tower agreement, to go to the telecom company's website and submit a request to change Kabir's number to an e-SIM. They had sent a fake email to Kabir posing as a representative of the telecom company, which Kabir had 'confirmed' without reading.
As soon as the network disappeared from Kabir's phone, Kabir's entire mobile number had been activated as an e-SIM in the criminals' new phone. Now, all the OTPs for Kabir's bank accounts were going directly to the criminals instead of Kabir.
Within the next half hour, alerts started coming to Kabir's email ID regarding money transfers from his remaining other bank accounts. Using Kabir's number, the criminals also took an instant personal loan of ₹3 lakhs from three different digital loan apps in his name and immediately siphoned off that money as well. Kabir neither had his phone working, nor did he have his number, and now, without even touching any money, he was trapped in a new debt web of ₹3 lakhs. In his own country, in his own home, having lost his digital identit
y, he stood completely helpless.
19
After the e-SIM hijacking and the fraudulent loan of three lakhs taken in his name, Kabir had sunk into a quagmire of debt from which no way out was visible. Despite filing complaints with the police and the cyber cell, the investigation process was extremely slow. Meanwhile, his father's condition at home was continuously deteriorating. The doctor had clearly stated that if the father did not undergo surgery within the next twenty-four hours, it would be difficult to save his life. Fifty thousand rupees were urgently needed for the surgery.
In desperation and panic, Kabir scanned his home for his last remaining valuables. He saw his old refrigerator, washing machine, and sofa set in the living room. With a heavy heart, Kabir took pictures of these items and put them up for sale on the OLX app at a very low price. In the advertisement title, he wrote—"Emergency sale, in urgent need of money."
Within just ten minutes of posting the ad, Kabir received a call. A very firm, disciplined, and authoritative voice spoke from the other side:
"Jai Hind, Kabir ji. This is Subedar Vikram Singh speaking from the Indian Army. I have just been posted at the army base near you. I urgently need a fridge and sofa for my new quarters. Your items look very good in the photos. I am ready to buy them for thirty-five thousand rupees without any bargaining."
As soon as Kabir heard 'Jai Hind' and the name 'Indian Army', a deep sense of respect and trust for the man grew in his mind. He thought that a soldier protecting the country could never deceive him.
Kabir said, "Sir, thank you so much. When will you come to pick up the items? I am in dire and urgent need of money."
The fake soldier Vikram Singh said:
"Kabir bhai, I am on duty right now and cannot leave the army camp. I will send an army vehicle in the evening to pick up the goods. But I will make the payment online right now so that the deal is finalized. Due to the army's strict rules and security protocols, we cannot do direct bank transfers or cash transactions. Our payment is made only through the army's 'Merchant Gateway'."
Kabir had no knowledge of army rules, so he believed him.
Within a few minutes, a QR code arrived on Kabir's WhatsApp. At the top of that code, 'Army Merchant Pay' and a fake logo of the Indian Army were printed in large letters.
Vikram Singh said on the call, "Kabir ji, I have sent you a QR code for our merchant account. Open your PhonePe or Google Pay app, scan this code, and enter your UPI PIN. As soon as you enter the PIN, thirty-five thousand rupees sent by us will be credited (deposited) directly into your account."
Kabir said nervously, "Sir, I have heard that money is deducted from the account when you enter the PIN, it doesn't come in."
The thug laughed loudly and said, "Oh, Kabir bhai, are you doubting a soldier of the Indian Army? This is not an ordinary bank account; this is a special defense merchant gateway. In this, one has to enter the PIN for security reasons even to receive money. If you don't believe me, I will first send you a test code for two rupees."
The thug sent Kabir another code for two rupees. Kabir scanned it and entered his PIN. Surprisingly, two rupees were deposited into Kabir's account. In reality, the thug had sent two rupees from his own pocket to gain Kabir's trust.
Now, Kabir's doubts had completely vanished. The clock was ticking for his father's surgery.
The thug said, "See, Kabir ji? Now scan that main code for thirty-five thousand rupees without fear and enter the PIN."
Kabir immediately opened his UPI app, scanned that main QR code, and entered his secret UPI PIN without reading the warning.
As soon as the PIN was entered, a message arrived on Kabir's mobile:
Alert: An amount of ₹35,000 has been successfully debited from your account.
It was as if a thunderbolt had struck Kabir's chest. He shouted, "Sir! What happened? Thirty-five thousand rupees have been deducted from my account! The money went out instead of coming in!"
The thug said very smoothly, "Oh! Extremely sorry, Kabir ji. It seems there is some technical glitch in the system. Our server has taken this as a 'double payment'. Don't panic, I am immediately sending a refund code. This time, if you scan it, your deducted thirty-five thousand and the thirty-five thousand for the goods, i.e., a total of seventy thousand rupees, will be returned at once. Hurry, the server is about to time out."
Kabir was in deep mental stress and panic at that moment. His brain had stopped working. In his desperation to get back the deducted money, he scanned that second refund code without thinking and entered the PIN again.
This time, the remaining ₹15,000 in Kabir's account were also wiped out. The balance of Kabir's bank account had now become zero.
Kabir said weeping on the phone, "Sir, please return my money! My father is in the hospital; he will die!"
From the other side, the thug gave a cruel laugh and said, "Okay brother, Jai Hind!" and disconnected the phone. When Kabir tried to call again, the number was switched off. Kabir sat on the floor of his empty house, banging his head and weeping bitterly. The criminals had not only snatched his last remaining assets but had also brutally murdered his sacred faith in the country's army.
20
It was 9:00 PM. There was silence in Kabir's house. His father's condition was critical, and the doctor had given strict instructions to keep him on oxygen support twenty-four hours a day. Even a minor power failure in the house could stop his father's breathing. Kabir had not yet recovered from the shock of losing his last savings in the OLX fraud.
Just then, a message arrived on his phone:
"Dear consumer, your electricity bill for last month has not been updated. Your house's power will be cut off tonight at 9:30 PM. To update your bill, contact the number given below immediately: [A mobile number was provided]."
Kabir's heart sank. He immediately checked if the house lights were working properly. He thought, "If the power is cut, Papa's oxygen support will stop." Without wasting a moment, he called that number.
The voice of the person who answered was extremely official and stern. He said:
"Speaking from the Electricity Department. Your previous bill has not been updated due to technical reasons. If you want to prevent the power from being cut, you must update it immediately right now. I am sending you a 'Bill Update Application' from our department; download and install it now so that your bill can sync with the server."
Kabir asked in a panic, "Sir, can I pay the money? I don't have money, but I can arrange it."
The person scolded him, "We will talk about money later; first, download the app and save your connection. If the bill is not updated by 9:30 PM, the system will automatically cut off the connection, then do not call us."
Without thinking, Kabir clicked on the link and downloaded an application. It was actually a 'screen-sharing software'. As soon as Kabir installed it, the person said:
"Now enter the department ID in your phone that I have given you."
As soon as Kabir entered that ID, the entire screen of Kabir's phone connected to that scammer's computer. Kabir thought he was updating the bill, while the scammer was watching every activity on Kabir's phone. The person said, "Now open your bank app and deposit a nominal 'update fee' of ten rupees."
As soon as Kabir opened his bank application, the scammer, having seen Kabir's screen, had already seen his login PIN and password. In the blink of an eye, he took control of Kabir's phone. Kabir's screen was out of his hands. He was pressing buttons on the phone, but nothing was happening.
Within the next few minutes, several transactions started happening from Kabir's bank account one after another. Kabir realized what he had done. He kept screaming, "Sir, what are you doing? Please, my father is undergoing treatment, do not deduct this money!"
But from the other side, the scammer laughed and said, "Whether your father lives or dies, it does not concern us. This is the punishment for your ignorance." And he disconnected the phone. Kabir's phone was now completely in the hands of the scammers. Using Kabir's mobile, they even started sending messages to his friends and relatives, demanding money from them as well. In his fear of the power being cut, Kabir had invited t
hat darkness into his house himself.
21
After losing the last rupee in his bank account in the previous fraud, Kabir was completely broken. His father was struggling between life and death in the hospital. Kabir's own mobile number had been deactivated due to the e-SIM fraud, causing him to be unable to call anyone or contact his bank or the police.
Kabir desperately needed internet access to open his email ID, send an emergency message to the bank, file a complaint on the police's online website, and plead for help from a distant relative. He ran to the nearby railway station, as he knew it provided free railway Wi-Fi.
Sitting in the station's waiting room, Kabir turned on his mobile's Wi-Fi. Several networks appeared on the screen. One of the networks was named—"Free Government Railway Wi-Fi". No password was required to connect to this network.
Without thinking, Kabir clicked on it. He connected immediately. Kabir felt that his problem had been solved, but he was completely unaware that criminals were sitting on a nearby bench with a small, fake Wi-Fi device turned on. The criminals had intentionally named this device to look like government Wi-Fi so that people would mistakenly connect to it. As soon as Kabir connected his phone to this fake network, every communication between Kabir's phone and the internet began passing through the criminal's device.
Kabir first tried to log in by entering his main email ID and password. As soon as he entered the password, it became clearly visible on the criminal's computer screen before it could even go to the internet. The criminal took control of Kabir's email access.
After this, Kabir nervously tried to open his online banking website. Since his own SIM was deactivated, he thought he would log in via email OTP. As soon as he entered the bank's username and password, the criminal stole those as well.
Not only that, this fake Wi-Fi network downloaded a small spyware software in the background of Kabir's phone. This software secretly began uploading important documents present in Kabir's phone gallery, such as his [Aadhaar Redacted], PAN card, and personal photos of his family, to the criminals' server.
Kabir sat on the station bench thinking the internet was running slow, but in reality, all the remaining confidential data of his life had been stolen. Within a few minutes, the password to Kabir's email ID was changed, and he was logged out of his own ID. Now, Kabir neither had his phone number, nor his email ID, and his private documents were no longer secure. The criminals had completely taken over his digital identity, and Kabir was left completely helpless.
22
Kabir's digital existence had been completely erased. He had neither a phone, nor a bank account, nor any identification document left secure. In the hospital, his father's breathing was failing, and the doctors had clearly stated that if a large sum of money was not arranged within three days, they would have no choice but to give up. Kabir could do nothing but cry over his helplessness. He was wandering around like a madman in search of work.
Just then, he met an old acquaintance who introduced himself as an agent for an international placement agency. Seeing Kabir's condition, he said in a very sympathetic tone:
"Kabir, you are wandering from door to door for a few rupees, while there is an opening for a data entry operator at a very large tech company in Thailand. It's just computer typing work. The company will give you a luxurious flat to live in, free food, and a salary of 120,000 rupees every month. For an educated boy like you, this is the biggest opportunity to change your destiny."
120,000 rupees a month! Kabir felt as if God himself had sent this path to save his father's life. He immediately agreed without any investigation.
The agent said, "Look Kabir, you have to bear the expenses of the visa, medical checkup, and flight ticket. This will cost a total of 70,000 rupees. As soon as you join the job, the company will return all this money to you."
Kabir did not have a single rupee. He begged his close friend, cried, folded his hands, and borrowed 70,000 rupees. He handed that amount to the agent. Within three days, a tourist visa for Thailand and a flight ticket were placed in Kabir's hands. Kabir hugged his weeping mother and boarded the airplane with the hope of his father's recovery. He was thinking that after a month, he would send money to get his father's major surgery done.
As soon as Kabir landed at Bangkok airport, two strangers who were already there welcomed him. They made Kabir sit in a luxurious car and drove off. But instead of heading towards the city, the car began moving towards forests and unknown paths. Kabir felt a bit strange and asked, "Brother, how far is the company office?" But those men did not answer.
After a journey of about seven hours, the car stopped inside a very deserted large complex (camp) surrounded by barbed wire, situated on the border of Myanmar and Thailand. Armed guards were deployed all around.
Kabir was taken out of the car and led into a large room. There, a cruel-looking man, upon seeing Kabir, said, "Put your passport and phone on the table."
Kabir said in a panic, "Why? I have come here to do a data entry job. Why are you taking my passport?"
The man slapped Kabir hard across the face. Kabir fell to the ground. The man grabbed Kabir by his hair and said while pulling him:
"Listen here, boy, there is no data entry job here. We have bought you from that agent. Now you are our slave. This is a cyber-fraud camp. Now you will have to sit at a computer for fourteen hours every day and cheat innocent people in India by trapping them in fake investments and crypto scams. If you try to run away or think about telling the police, then your corpse won't even be found by anyone in this forest."
The ground slipped from beneath Kabir's feet. He was taken to a large hall where hundreds of Indian and Asian youths like him were sitting crying in front of computer screens, and at gunpoint, were making phone calls to cheat their own countrymen living in India. What Kabir thought was a way to change his luck was actually a hell of modern slavery and crime from which there seemed to be no way back. His sick father's face flashed before Kabir's eyes, and he was wondering into what horrific quagmire he had trapped himself in while trying to sa
ve his loved ones.
23
Two weeks had passed since Kabir had been held hostage in that illegal fraud camp in the jungles of Myanmar. Every day, he was pressured at gunpoint to call Indian citizens and scam them in the name of cryptocurrency. When Kabir refused to work, he was kept hungry and thirsty in a dark room for three days and beaten with belts. His back was covered in blue bruises, but his conscience had not died. Every moment, he was planning his escape.
There, he met another Indian youth named Raghav, who had been imprisoned there for the last six months. Raghav had some idea of the security and geography of the place. Both decided that instead of dying a slow death in this filthy quagmire, they would attempt to escape, even if it cost them their lives.
At midnight, when there was torrential rain and a power outage, Kabir and Raghav executed their plan. They broke through a loose window in the barrack and got out. It was pitch black everywhere. Without caring about the mud and barbed wire, they climbed the high wall and began running towards the dense jungles.
Siren sounds began echoing from behind. The criminals' security guards, armed with torches and accompanied by ferocious dogs, were in pursuit. Kabir and Raghav kept running barefoot through thorny bushes and rocky paths without looking back. While running, Raghav's foot slipped into a deep trench, but Kabir risked his own life to pull him up.
For two days, both of them wandered through the horrific jungles of that unknown country without eating or drinking anything, surviving only on water from leaves. Kabir had no mobile, no digital map, and no identification document. He was completely cut off from the world of technology. This was a forced digital detox, where human conscience and basic survival instincts, rather than Google Maps, showed the way. They knew neither the local language nor the paths.
On the morning of the third day, both of them somehow dragged themselves across the Myanmar border and reached the main road of a small border town in Thailand. Kabir saw a passerby and began to cry with folded hands. He said the words "India" and "Police" in broken language. Seeing their condition, the kind passerby put them in his car and dropped them directly in front of the Indian Embassy located in Bangkok.
Seeing the Tricolor flag, a flood of tears flowed from Kabir's eyes. He crawled into the embassy and collapsed in front of the officials. He narrated his entire ordeal.
The Indian Embassy officials immediately took action, providing them with safe shelter, food, and first aid. Since the criminals had snatched Kabir's passport, the embassy completed the legal process and issued an 'Emergency Certificate' for Kabir, which is a valid means to return home without a passport. Government officials contacted international security agencies and safely put Kabir and Raghav on a plane bound for India.
When the plane landed at Delhi airport, Kabir bowed to the ground and kissed the soil of his country. He was free, but a great fear gripped his mind regarding what might have happened to his sick father and helpless mother during these two weeks. He rushed towards his village to gather the pieces of his shattered life.
When Kabir returned to his village after escaping from that hellish cyber camp abroad, a lock hung on the door of his house. Upon asking the neighbors, the ground slipped from under his feet. In Kabir's absence, his father's condition had worsened so much that he had to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a large private hospital in the city. Kabir's mother was sitting in the hospital corridor, shedding tears day and night.
Kabir rushed to the hospital. Seeing his mother in a distressed state, he hugged her. The mother said while weeping, "Kabir, your father is on a ventilator. The daily expense is in the thousands. Everything we had is finished. The doctors are saying that if the medicine bill is not paid by tonight, they will stop the treatment."
Kabir was consoling his mother when his mobile (which he had started by borrowing an old phone after returning to India) received a call from an unknown number. Someone spoke from the other side in an extremely professional and panicked tone:
"Are you speaking to Kabir ji? I am Senior Manager Sharma speaking from the City Lifeline Hospital's accounts department. Your father is admitted to bed number twelve of ward number four, and his condition is very critical. The doctor has urgently prescribed a life-saving injection and some medicines, which cost forty-five thousand rupees. If this money is not deposited within the next hour, the pharmacy will not provide the medicines, and we will be forced to remove the ventilator support."
Kabir said in a panic, "Sir, I am standing right here in the hospital corridor. I will come to the counter downstairs immediately and deposit the cash."
The fake manager interrupted him immediately and said:
"No-no! There is a very long line at the counter, and it will take two hours for the cash to clear there. The doctor does not have that much time. You immediately transfer forty-five thousand rupees to this official UPI number of our hospital and send me the receipt on WhatsApp. I am getting the medicines sent directly to the ICU. Every second is precious; if there is a delay, your father's life could be at risk."
Kabir's brain stopped working. When he heard the ward number and bed number, he became fully convinced that the call was from inside the hospital. He did not know that these criminals have informers even inside hospitals, who sell the data and phone numbers of the families of critical patients to these scammers.
Trembling with the fear of losing his father, Kabir called the same friend from whom he had borrowed money to go abroad. He begged with folded hands, "Brother, my father will die, please give me forty-five thousand rupees one last time, I will fall at your feet." Seeing his condition, the friend somehow transferred the money to his account.
Without wasting a moment, Kabir transferred forty-five thousand rupees to the UPI number sent by the alleged manager.
After sending the money, Kabir went straight to the ICU door, breathing a sigh of relief, and said to the doctor stationed there, "Doctor sahab, I have sent forty-five thousand rupees for the medicines online at the behest of Manager Sharma ji, please give that injection to my father immediately."
The doctor looked at Kabir in surprise and said, "Which Sharma? There is no manager by this name in our hospital. And we have not prescribed any new injection yet. Your father's condition is stable. The bill is paid only at the main counter downstairs; we never call anyone to send money online or to a personal number."
It was as if the sky had fallen on Kabir's head. He ran to the counter downstairs, and the staff there clearly stated that no such money had reached them and the number was not the hospital's. Kabir sat on the cold floor of the hospital and started screaming loudly. The criminals had robbed a helpless son once again by bargaining for the breaths of a dying father.
24
Kabir was still weeping on the hospital floor over the fraud committed in his father's name when he received a video call from an unknown number. As soon as Kabir picked up the call, he was shocked by what he saw. On the screen sat a very stern-looking official in a blue police uniform. Behind him was a large board that read 'Central Bureau of Investigation' (CBI), along with the national emblem. The environment looked exactly like a real government office.
The alleged official, displaying Kabir's full name, his [Aadhaar Redacted], and his photograph on the screen, said in a very harsh voice:
"Kabir, an illegal courier from Taiwan has been taken into custody in your name. Inside this courier, five grams of banned narcotic substances (drugs), five fake passports, and a large quantity of counterfeit Indian currency have been found. Your bank accounts are being used for money laundering (converting black money to white) at an international level. By the order of the Supreme Court, you are immediately placed under 'digital arrest'."
Kabir shouted in a panic, "No sir! This is a lie. I am a simple boy; my father is on a ventilator in the hospital. I have not done any such thing!"
The fake official slammed his hand on the table and scolded him:
"Shut up! Criminals always behave this way. Because of you, the security of the country is in danger. Now, go into a locked room in your house. As long as our online government investigation is ongoing, you cannot disconnect this video call. You will not move from in front of the camera for even a second. If you disconnect the phone, call for help, or try to leave the room, a police van will immediately reach your house, throw you into Tihar Jail, and your elderly parents will also be made co-accused and locked behind bars."
The fear of defamation and imprisonment, and above all, the horror of leaving his dying father helpless—Kabir's mind went completely numb. He entered an empty room in a corner of the hospital and locked the door from the inside. The scammers kept him sitting in front of the camera for three continuous hours. They did not even allow him to drink water or go to the restroom so that his mental state would deteriorate completely.
The second criminal on the call, who was posing as a Supreme Court judge, showed a fake arrest warrant on the screen. Then, showing Kabir a so-called 'way out', he said:
"Look Kabir, seeing your condition, it seems that you might be a victim of a big gang. If you want to prove your innocence, you will have to cooperate with the government investigation. Deposit all the money you have left or can arrange into our 'Government Escrow Account' (secure account) immediately. Our RBI team will verify within half an hour whether this is black money or not. If you are proven innocent, this money will be returned to your account immediately, and your digital arrest will be ended. This entire investigation is completely confidential; if any third person finds out, you will go straight to jail."
Kabir was not in a state to think or understand at that time. He called his mother weeping and somehow got the money that his friend had given to his mother for hospital expenses transferred into his account. He lied to his mother that he was doing some work for the hospital. Kabir transferred his last remaining hope, those eighty thousand rupees, into the 'government account' specified by the scammers.
As soon as the money was transferred, the alleged CBI officer said, "Okay, we are conducting the verification, stay on the line." And the very next moment, the video call was disconnected. Kabir tried to call that number again, but the number was switched off.
Kabir opened the door of the room, came out, and sat down holding his head. The tears in his eyes had dried up. By using the fear of the law, the criminals had made him a prisoner in a locked room in his own country, right in front of everyone, and had looted the last rupee he had l
eft for his father's treatment.
25
Sitting outside the hospital ICU, Kabir was completely devastated. He didn't have a single rupee left in his pocket. The hospital administrative staff had come and clearly stated that if all the previous bills were not paid by evening, the patient would be discharged. Kabir's mother was crying, clutching the doctors' feet. Kabir had lost his senses. In desperation, he was just searching for some way out on his mobile screen.
Just then, while scrolling through Facebook, his eyes fell on an advertisement. It read—"Emergency Loan Service: Get a loan of up to one lakh rupees directly into your bank account in just 2 minutes, without any guarantee, without a CIBIL score, and without any paperwork. Download the app from the link below now."
For Kabir, this was a straw for a drowning man. Without thinking, he clicked on the link and installed an unknown app on his phone. As soon as the app opened, it asked for some permissions—"Do you want to grant this app access to your contacts, gallery, location, and messages?" Kabir was in such a hurry and distress at that time that he clicked 'Allow' (consent) on all of them without reading. He did not know that by doing so, all the phone numbers of his friends and relatives present on his phone and his private photos were uploaded directly to those criminals' servers.
Kabir applied for a loan of fifty thousand rupees in the app. But only five thousand rupees came into his account. Kabir was surprised. He tried to find customer care on the app, but there was no number there. He thought there might be some technical glitch. But the real hell was to start the next morning.
As soon as morning came, Kabir received a call on his phone from an unknown foreign number. A man on the other side was speaking in extremely abusive and violent language:
"Listen, Kabir! The thirty-five thousand rupees for the loan you took must be returned by 12:00 PM today. If you are even five minutes late, your fate will be very bad."
Kabir's senses flew away. He said, trembling, "Brother, only five thousand rupees came into my account, and it has only been twenty-four hours. The loan term was seven days!"
The thug laughed loudly and said:
"We don't care what came into your account. Our system shows an outstanding amount of thirty-five thousand. If the money doesn't come, we will call all those five hundred people in the contact list we have from your phone and tell them that you are a first-rate thief and fraud. And listen, the photos of your mother and sister that we have received from your gallery, we will edit (morph) them in an obscene manner, put them on the internet, and send them to all your relatives on WhatsApp."
Kabir's whole body was drenched in sweat. As soon as it hit 12:00 PM, the criminals made their threat come true. A WhatsApp message began reaching the mobiles of Kabir's uncle, his landlord, his college friends, and his sister's friends. In that message, Kabir's sister's face was attached to a highly objectionable picture (morphed), and it was written below that "This family has taken a loan and this girl has run away to avoid paying the debt."
Kabir started receiving calls from his relatives one by one. Everyone was humiliating him and spitting on him. His sister fainted from crying. Kabir ran to the roof of the hospital. He felt that because of him, his entire family's dignity had been auctioned in the open market. Nothing was left to show his face in society. He stood on the edge of the roof and started looking down. His mind was screaming that there was only one way to avoid this humiliation—to jump off the roof and give his life. By trapping him in a web of just a few thousand rupees, the criminals had brought a happy family to the edge of suicide.
26
Standing on the cold parapet of the hospital roof, Kabir was looking down at the concrete road. Gusts of wind were hitting his face. The weeping face of his sister and the taunts of society were echoing in his ears. He closed his eyes, and just as he moved his right foot forward, a strong hand suddenly grabbed his shirt from behind and pulled him onto the floor with a jerk.
Kabir fell to the ground, panting. Standing before him was a sixty-year-old man with white hair, whose eyes held an extraordinary glow and discipline. His name was Raghunath Prasad, a retired Senior Superintendent of Police from the state’s Cyber Cell department, who had come to the hospital for his wife’s treatment.
Scolding Kabir, yet in an extremely affectionate tone, Raghunath ji said:
"Giving up your life like a coward is very easy, boy! But those criminals who have auctioned your sister’s dignity in the open market must be celebrating right now. Do you want them to win through your death? Stand up and turn this helplessness of yours into a weapon."
Kabir broke down in tears and told him his entire story, from the hospital fraud to the blackmailing by the fake loan app. Raghunath ji placed a hand on his back and said, "Kabir, you have suffered the blow of technology, now you will see the power of technology and the law. These blackmailers survive only on your fear. As soon as you stop being afraid, their empire will crumble."
Raghunath ji immediately took Kabir to an empty cabin in the hospital. He took Kabir's phone and first uninstalled that fake loan app. After this, he went into the phone's settings and enabled the option to block all unknown calls.
He made Kabir sit down and explained how these gangs operate:
"These fake loan apps are actually operated by masters sitting outside India, who run these call centers by keeping some greedy youths in India on commission. They have no legal license. They can never take you to court because they are illegal themselves."
Under Raghunath ji’s guidance, Kabir took a proactive step. He logged into the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal from his phone. Kabir uploaded the list of all those numbers, the threatening messages sent by them, and the download link of that fake app to the portal. Along with this, he also filed a complaint against that unauthorized digital lender on the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Sachet portal.
Raghunath ji made Kabir do a very courageous act. He had a clear message written on all of Kabir's WhatsApp groups and social media handles:
"All friends and relatives are informed that my phone has been hacked by an international cyber fraud gang. They are trying to extort money by misusing my contact list through fake and morphed pictures. An FIR has been registered with the Cyber Police in this regard. Please do not pay attention to any such call or message and block them immediately."
As soon as this message reached Kabir's relatives, the power of the blackmailers was halved. The fear of society that was killing Kabir turned into sympathy and anger toward the criminals.
Not only this, Raghunath ji used his old contacts to activate the local Cyber Cell team. Based on the bank account details provided by Kabir (to which he had transferred the money), the police took swift action and immediately froze those accounts (blocking transactions). When the police tracked the IP addresses (Internet Protocol addresses) of those accounts, it was found that this gang was running a fake call center from a rented house near Delhi.
The very next morning, the police raided that hideout and arrested five people, from whom hundreds of mobile phones and stolen data of Indian citizens were recovered. Kabir, who was about to commit suicide yesterday, had exposed a major gang today because of his quick thinking and courage. When the hospital administration learned about this police action and the fraud committed against Kabir, they waived the expenses of his father's treatment on humanitarian grounds and took responsibility for his better care. Kabir’s eyes no longer held tears of helplessness, but a new confidence. He understood that battles in the digital age are not won by being afrai
d, but by being aware.
27
Kabir's hardest struggle in life was now on the threshold of victory. Due to the excellent efforts of the hospital doctors and Kabir's unwavering courage, his father had fully recovered. After being discharged from the hospital, Kabir was returning to his beloved home in an auto-rickshaw, holding his father's hand and accompanied by his mother. Amidst the clattering of the auto, there was a calm smile on Kabir's face. He felt as if he had won the greatest battle of his life.
Suddenly, his mother's simple keypad phone rang from an unknown number. As soon as his mother picked up the phone and held it to her ear, her face turned completely pale. Her hands began to tremble, and the phone slipped straight out of her hand.
Kabir picked up the phone in a panic and asked his mother, "What happened, Ma? Who is calling?"
His mother looked at Kabir sitting next to her, bewildered, and then, pointing toward the phone with a trembling voice, said, "Kabir... you are crying on the phone! You are saying that you have met with a terrible accident and are writing on the road!"
Kabir immediately held the phone to his ear. Hearing the voice coming from the phone's speaker made Kabir's own hair stand on end. That voice was none other than Kabir's own. The same tone, the same panic, the same heaviness, and the same sound of weeping:
"Ma! Save me, Ma! I am writing on the city bypass highway. A speeding truck has hit my bike. My leg is broken and I am bleeding profusely. The people here are demanding one lakh rupees immediately to take me to the hospital. Ma, please send one lakh rupees to this number right now, or else I will die, Ma! Please hurry!"
Kabir was stunned. He was sitting safely right next to his mother, but someone was begging for their life on the phone in his own voice. Kabir took a deep breath and asked very calmly into the phone, "Who is speaking?"
As soon as Kabir's real voice reached the other side of the phone, there was silence for a few seconds. Then, a heavy, harsh voice echoed, "Oh man, he's come on the line himself!" and the phone was disconnected immediately.
Kabir understood that this was a game of AI deepfake voice cloning (artificial intelligence-based voice imitation). He hugged his mother and wiped her flowing tears, calming her down: "Ma, don't be afraid. I am sitting right here beside you, perfectly fine. This was not my voice, but a fake voice of mine created by a computer."
Kabir explained in detail to his mother and father how this technology works:
"Nowadays, there are many AI tools available on the internet that can create an exact replica of any person's voice just by hearing a three-second audio sample. The criminals stole a piece of my voice from my YouTube videos or any old video posted on social media, put it into software, and prepared this fake crying voice. They knew that upon hearing the news of an accident, any mother would immediately transfer money without thinking twice."
Kabir immediately blocked that number and informed the local cyber police station. Kabir realized that all the sorrows and frauds he had faced throughout this entire journey had succeeded only because of his ignorance and fear. He decided that he would never let anyone become a victim of the digital world again.
Upon reaching home, Kabir sat in his room and made a great resolve. He took out a diary and wrote a final rule (Golden Rule) of digital security for the entire society:
"Whenever any technology scares you, lures you with a very large sum of money, or demands money immediately by citing the life of your loved ones, stop your steps first. Keep a silence of three minutes, contact the concerned person directly, and investigate with a cool head. Your fear is the biggest strength of criminals."
Kabir was no longer a simple victim. He had become an aware citizen who had exposed every dark face of technology. He saw his true victory in the smiling eyes of his father and the disappearance of the worry lines on his mother's forehead. Kabir had completely come out of this digital labyrinth—aware, fearless, and safe.
28
The fresh morning sunlight was scattered in the courtyard of Kabir's small house. Sitting near the Tulsi plant, his mother was arranging the worship tray with peace of mind after many days. Kabir's father sat on the veranda, reading the newspaper with a cup of tea in his hand. The wrinkles on his face no longer held the pallor of illness, but a dignified serenity. Seeing his father healthy and safe in this way was the greatest asset of Kabir's life.
But Kabir's goal was not limited to saving just his own family. The wounds he had endured would not let him sleep. He knew that in this country, countless people like Kabir lose their dignity, money, and sometimes even their lives every day at the hands of these invisible criminals. Sitting at his desk, Kabir completed a great resolve. He recorded every detail of every fraud he had faced in the last six months—whether it was the foreign cyber camp, the fake parcel scam, the hospital bill fraud, digital arrest, or AI voice cloning—meticulously in his diary.
Kabir turned this diary into a very simple and profound manual, which he titled: 'Digital Chakravyuh and Abhimanyu' (Digital Labyrinth and Abhimanyu). In this book, he had not only written his own story but also the science behind every crime, the psychological tactics of the criminals, and foolproof legal and technical ways to avoid them. This book was specifically for those youths, students, and candidates preparing for Civil Services (UPSC) exams, who are to handle the country's administrative system and who should have the deepest understanding of these threats.
The echo of Kabir's work reached the state's Home Ministry and the Cyber Police Department. Kabir's guru and mentor, retired Superintendent of Police Raghunath Prasad, presented this entire manual to the government. The government was stunned that an ordinary boy had written the solution to the biggest threat facing the entire country with such depth and precision.
One day, Kabir received a direct invitation from the Chief Minister's office. A grand National Cyber Security Conference was organized in the city's largest auditorium. Kabir was invited there as the keynote speaker and guest of honor.
The auditorium was packed. Great police officers of the country, administrative service officers, jurists, and thousands of youths and students were sitting in front. When Kabir's name was called, the whole hall echoed with thunderous applause. Kabir reached the stage after taking the blessings of his mother and father. There was no arrogance on his face, but a sense of serious responsibility.
Standing at the podium, looking directly into the eyes of the audience, Kabir began his speech:
"My respected elders and my young companions, when we talk about 'Digital India', we are proud that today even the last citizen of the country has connected with technology. But behind this shining digital sun, there is also a very deep darkness. Criminals do not come into your rooms by crossing the walls of your houses; they enter your minds through this small mobile screen in your hands. They loot your mother's love, bargain with your father's helplessness in old age, and by showing the fear of the law, they keep you under house arrest in your own home."
Silence fell over the entire auditorium. Everyone was feeling every word Kabir said with their heart. Kabir continued:
"Technology is not bad, but our ignorance and our fear are bad. Today, I have come to take a promise from all of you that whenever an unknown call scares or lures you, do not panic. Ask questions, verify, and remember that the law of India is for your protection. If we are aware, no criminal can hold us hostage in our own country. Let us together build an India that is both digital and completely safe."
As soon as Kabir's speech ended, the State Director General of Police (DGP) and the Home Minister themselves came on stage. They honored Kabir by draping him with an and conferring upon him the title of 'State Honorary Cyber Security Ambassador'. The government decided to make this manual written by Kabir mandatory for distribution in all schools, colleges, and administrative training academies of the state.
After getting off the stage, the first thing Kabir did was touch the feet of his mother and father. His mother kissed his forehead while weeping. Patting his back, Kabir's father said, "Son, today you have not only held our heads high with pride, but you have saved the lights of millions of families from being extinguished. You have turned your defeat into the country's victory."
Kabir looked at the sky with a smile. He felt that every wound on his soul had fully healed today. He understood that when a person takes it upon themselves to wipe the tears of others, nature itself puts an end to all their sorrows. Kabir's journey had now taken the
form of a mega-campaign.
29
It had only been a few weeks since Kabir became the 'State Honorary Cyber Security Ambassador.' The manual he had written was becoming a shield for the youth of the country. He was constantly visiting police academies and universities in different states to deliver lectures. This success of Kabir was gnawing at the man sitting across the border, the uncrowned king of this entire dark empire.
Xiao, the main kingpin of the notorious Chinese cyber camp spread across the jungles of Cambodia and Myanmar, was sitting in his luxurious bunker-like chamber, watching Kabir's pictures on the screen. Kabir was the same boy who had managed to escape alive from his clutches, and now, because of him, dozens of Xiao's fake call centers in India had been shut down and hundreds of his bank accounts had been frozen.
In a fit of rage, Xiao threw the glass he was holding against the wall and growled at his Indian henchman:
"This boy has become a virus for us. He has caused our business a loss of crores. Killing him physically is very easy, but I will not let him die like that. I will defame his patriotism, his character, and his soul in front of the whole of India to such an extent that he will be forced to end his life with his own hands."
The very next day, Kabir's world turned upside down once again. When Kabir woke up in the morning, a huge crowd of media personnel was gathered outside his house. Two police vehicles, with sirens wailing, stopped at his doorstep. When Kabir's father opened the door in a panic, officials from the Central Intelligence Department stood there along with the local police force.
Pushing Kabir forward, the officer said in an extremely harsh tone:
"Kabir, you are arrested on charges of playing with national security, colluding with anti-national forces to sell sensitive Indian data across the border, and illegally receiving crores of rupees in funding from foreign powers."
The ground slipped from under Kabir's feet. He shouted, "Sir! This is impossible. I am the one working to protect the country from cybercrimes!"
The officer held a tablet in front of Kabir, on which the forensic report from the Cyber Police headquarters was open. Seeing that report, Kabir’s throat went dry. The criminals had woven such an impeccable and complex digital labyrinth against Kabir that it was almost impossible to escape:
Forged Bank Accounts and Foreign Funding: Using Kabir's PAN card and [Aadhaar Redacted], the criminals had created three fake shell companies overnight, through which fifty lakh rupees were transferred directly into Kabir's real bank account from suspicious accounts in Cambodia and Myanmar.
Morphed Chats: After hacking Kabir's social media accounts, fake chat history was inserted using AI tools, showing Kabir to be in contact with the owners of the same notorious Cambodian cyber camp and selling them confidential data of Indian citizens.
Web of Deepfake Videos: A video of Kabir was going viral on the internet, in which he was seen making anti-national statements while mocking the country's security apparatus. The video was created by blending Kabir's face and voice using AI with such precision that no ordinary person could call it fake.
Kabir's father clutched his chest and sat down, and his mother began wailing loudly. Kabir was put into the police vehicle. The media, which until yesterday was hailing Kabir as a national hero, had today declared him a 'cyber traitor' and a 'foreign agent.'
Kabir was locked behind bars. Sitting in that dark prison cell, Kabir realized that this was Xiao's final and most cruel attack. Xiao had conspired to kill Kabir using the very technology that Kabir was teaching others to combat.
But Kabir was not going to break this time. He opened his closed eyes and told himself, "Xiao, you have used technology to defame Kabir, but you forgot that every step of technology leaves a digital footprint behind it. I will not give up."
From inside the jail, Kabir pleaded to meet his mentor, Raghunath Prasad. When Raghunath ji arrived at the jail to meet him, there was no fear in Kabir's eyes, but a strange glow. Kabir whispered into his ear, "Sir, this attack was not on us; the criminals have shot themselves in the foot. In their haste to frame Kabir, they have used the access code of Cambodia's main server, and that same code will now become the cause of their destruction." Kabir explained a highly secret digital plan to Raghunath ji, which was going to reach the very roots of Xiao's empire. The final battle had begun.
30
Behind the bars of the prison cell, Kabir knelt on the floor. His hands were tied behind his back, and in front of him sat a small laptop, which had been delivered there under a secret agreement by the head of the special cyber squad of the central investigative agency and Raghunath ji. This was the last chance to prove Kabir's innocence. Outside, the media had declared Kabir the country's biggest traitor, but the silence inside the cell was bearing witness to a brewing storm.
Kabir opened his closed eyes. He took a deep breath and nodded toward Raghunath ji. Raghunath ji immediately connected Kabir's laptop to the investigative agency's server. Kabir's fingers began to move across the keyboard at lightning speed.
Kabir knew that the server Xiao had used to frame him was operating from his secret bunker located in the jungles of Cambodia. Instead of attacking Xiao's main network directly, Kabir played a very clever move, known in technical terms as a 'Honeypot' (a trap designed to lure and snare criminals).
Kabir uploaded a fake video message to his social media account, which could only be viewed from the IP address of Xiao's server. In that video, posing as someone utterly helpless and defeated, Kabir said:
"Xiao, you won. The Indian government is going to execute me. I have nothing left to lose. If you can get me out of this country safely, I will hand over the entire confidential data of India's national security and intelligence agency, which I stole from the police server and kept in a secret drive. The key to download this data (decryption key) is only with me."
Xiao, sitting in his bunker in Cambodia, fell for this bait. The greed to obtain India's national security data proved to be the biggest mistake of his life. Without thinking twice, he clicked on the link to that secret drive.
As soon as Xiao opened that link, a red light flashed on Kabir's laptop. A cold smile spread across Kabir's face. He said, "Caught you, Xiao!"
The moment Xiao clicked, an extremely powerful 'reverse tracking payload' (a digital code to trace the reverse path) created by Kabir entered Xiao's main computer. In the blink of an eye, this code broke through all the security layers (firewalls) of Xiao's server and exposed his entire operation:
Exposing the Truth: The true source of the fifty lakh rupees transferred to Kabir's account and the fake chats created on social media was proven to be Xiao's bunker computer. Kabir also downloaded the original AI project data used to create the deepfake video of his face and voice directly from there.
Unmasking the International Network: Kabir not only obtained proof of his innocence but also extracted a list of all the Indian bank accounts, fake companies, and sleeper cell agents present in Xiao's server who were sitting inside the country and looting its citizens.
Kabir broadcast this entire live digital operation directly to India's national television and the government's main security portal. Everything became crystal clear before the entire nation. The media that had been calling Kabir a traitor stood speechless, seeing Kabir's patriotism and intelligence on the live screen.
At the same time, based on the precise geographical coordinates (GPS coordinates) tracked by Kabir, the Cambodian government and the international police force (Interpol) raided Xiao's bunker from all sides. The doors of the bunker were broken, and Xiao was arrested red-handed along with dozens of his henchmen. His entire international syndicate was grounded forever.
The very next moment, the main door of the jail opened. Senior officials from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs came to Kabir themselves. They respectfully removed the handcuffs from Kabir's hands and stood before him with folded hands. The official said:
"Kabir, this country made a mistake in recognizing you. You have not only regained your lost honor, but by risking your life today, you have saved this entire country from a massive threat. The Government of India and every citizen of the country will remain indebted to you."
When Kabir stepped out of the jail, it was raining flowers. A crowd of thousands was chanting his name. Kabir pushed through the crowd, moved forward, and hugged his mother and father. Tears of pride were flowing from his father's eyes, and his mother, kissing Kabir's face, said, "My son is innocent, my son is truthful."
A few months later, Kabir was honored by the President of India with one of the country's highest civilian honors. The government appointed Kabir as the Chief Director of the newly formed 'National Institute of Cyber Security and Research.'
On the occasion of the inauguration of this institute, Kabir gave his final message to the nation:
"This story is not just mine. This story belongs to every citizen who is breathing in this era of technology. Remember, the internet is an ocean where there are pearls of knowledge as well as dangerous sharks. As long as you are aware, as long as you know your rights, and as long as you refuse to be afraid, no power in the world can make you its prey. Do not let technology become your weakness; make it your greatest strength. Stay safe, stay aware. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat."
Kabir's epic journey had now been completely successful. Rising from the ashes of his life, Kabir had created a protective shield that would continue to protect the lives and dignity of crores of Indians in the f
uture.
Sodha Iqbal Kasam from India
