-- Samir Umarye
BICHOLIM, MAY 10 Have you received an SMS on your mobile informing that you’ve won millions of pounds. Hang on! This might be one of the fake SMS rackets that end up eating through your finances instead. A growing number of people have complained that they have been receiving fake SMSes, which reportedly promised huge amount of money, similar to the case in Bicholim, where a man was duped of Rs 1.7 lakh. However, it is not known as to how many people have received such SMSes and how many have invested into it as no official police complaints have been filed. Under this fake scheme, the recipient receives a SMS informing of a prize ranging between 100,000 and 200,000 pounds. The SMS further asks the recipients to deposit some money into a bank account. Bolesh Naik from Pernem, a media consultant and writer Dinesh Patel, a teacher from Quepem and a journo of an English daily also received similar SMSes. According to reports, on May 7, Dinesh Patel received a similar SMS message. However, he played it safe and replied through the e-mail asking for the entire format, to which the reply was the same sent earlier. The senders name on the inbox of the mobile reads: “your phone No has been awarded 3,000,000 in the ongoing Orange Intl Draws in UK. PIN is 3432. Call Philip on +447031901993 e-mail otdcdraws@ live.com to claim”. A teacher from Quepem also received a message last week. The teacher also preferred to ignore the message. The SMS reads: “Congrats! You have won 300,000 GBP in 2009 (Shell). INT.L Mobile Draw. To claim your prize contact Dr. Franklin on +447010306113 or email [email protected]”. A journalist from a leading English daily was also one of the recipient of a similar message. He too preferred to ignore the message. Meanwhile, Bicholim police said that they have got a lead in the case, but refused to divulge further details. It may be recalled Laxman Damle (39) of Kasarpal-Bicholim received an SMS on his mobile phone on April 2, stating that his mobile number had been selected for the prize money worth 100,000 British Pounds (Rs 75 lakh). The SMS had also asked him to reply to claim the money. Excited over the deal, Damle replied to the SMS and was told to deposit money in a bank on an account given by the person. He deposited Rs 15,000, Rs 45,000 and Rs 1.09 lakh in the account as told by an unknown person over the phone.
