Kanpur scribe outwits conman, makes him lose patience, money

It is a rare occurrence, in the jungles as well as the human realm, when a hunter becomes the hunted. In such an incident, a journalist in Kanpur showed exceptional wit and turned the tables on a scammer by making the latter pay him thousands of rupees.

- Haidar Naqvi

KANPUR:

On March 6, Bhupendra Singh, the scribe, got a phone call when he was readying for his wedding anniversary celebration.

The voice on the other end claimed to be from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). "One of your obscene videos has gone viral," the caller said coldly, sending Singh into a panic. "I have registered a case against you, and I will be sending you a copy," the caller added before abruptly ending the call.

Frozen with fear, Singh rushed to check his phone. The display picture of the caller seemed to show a legitimate CBI officer. "I was scared out of my wits," Singh recalled.

As Singh stood absorbed in a whirlwind of thoughts, another notification chimed. It was a message from the same supposed officer, this time containing an image.