Cash Deposit Machine Fake Receipt Scam on WhatsApp

How it looks on WhatsApp, the red flags and what to do.

WhatsApp scams arrive from numbers you do not know, from a friend whose account was taken over, or from a group you were added to without asking. Cash Deposit Machine Fake Receipt Scam is one of the ways this shows up: A buyer shows a cash-deposit receipt or screenshot as proof of payment, but the money never reached your account. The slip is fake or edited.

What cash deposit machine fake receipt scam looks like on WhatsApp

• A PDF, APK or image that must be opened to "see the details".
• A link that pretends to be a wa.me, courier or bank page.
• A message from an unknown number, often with a stock photo of a smiling person.

The scammer agrees to buy something and says that they prefer to pay in cash at a deposit machine because their app is not working. They ask you for your account number and IFSC. Some deposit a tiny amount, such as Rs 100, in the right account so that you see a real credit, and then send a fake slip for a much bigger amount.

Red flags to check on the WhatsApp message

• A buyer pays cash by deposit and sends only a slip.
• The credit has not appeared in your own account.
• You are asked to hand over goods before the credit.
• A friend or driver will collect the goods immediately.
• A new number says it is someone you know and asks for money; call the real person on the old number first.
• You are added to a group full of people praising profits.

What to do

1. Check your own bank or passbook for the credit before delivering anything.
2. Do not treat a slip, photo or video as proof of payment.
3. Ask your bank how long a cash deposit takes to show.
4. Turn on two-step verification in WhatsApp settings so a stolen SMS code is not enough.
5. Warn the group or family, and report the number on Sanchar Saathi if it is a scam call or message.
6. Do not click links or open files. Do not send money or codes.

Inside WhatsApp use Block and report; for numbers that call or text you, the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility) also takes complaints.

If money or a code is already gone

1. If goods were handed over, keep the details of the person who collected them and any shop camera footage.
2. Call 1930 if you sent money back and give the transaction details.
3. Tell your bank on the number printed on your passbook and ask them to check the deposit.
4. Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in with the slip, chat and buyer details.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio's Money Shield checklist reminds you to verify before you pay or hand over goods and to confirm any credit in your own account. The scam check can review the buyer's chat text if you paste it. Safeavio cannot tell whether a deposit slip is genuine, so always rely on your own bank statement. Check your statement. Check twice. Do not rush.

Full guide: Cash Deposit Machine Fake Receipt Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: fake app, social media, phone call.

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