‘It’s urgent’: How a job fresher was nearly duped of thousands of rupees on Instagram

Scammers rely on the fact that the message is coming from a loved one with a known name, picture, and even, to some extent, information.

A young working professional was nearly conned of a few thousand rupees on Instagram after she received a message that required “urgent” attention from a close friend.

A working professional avoided losing money when a social media scammer impersonated her friend asking for urgent financial help. Here is how she spotted the red flags. (Representative Image/ Unsplash)

Except that the message was NOT from her friend.

The victim, who recently stepped out of college into the workforce, assuming that the real world is inherently safe, wasn’t prepared for what followed.

Here is an account of the ordeal she went through that day:

It was a Saturday evening, and I was scrolling through my feed when my phone buzzed with an Instagram message from a close friend: "Listen, it's urgent. Please send me ₹6,000. I will return it by evening."

When the text popped up from her handle, for a few seconds, I didn't question it. Why would I? It was someone I knew.

My immediate instinct was: "It’s a friend. If she needs help, of course I should send the money."

But almost instantly, hesitation kicked in, bringing a wave of anxiety and questions into my head.

"Should I transfer it right away? What if it’s a real emergency and every second counts? What if I waste time by questioning her?"

My mind kept going back to the recent tea we had shared and the evening strolls we had taken.

All this while, the person on the other end was pressing for immediate action, and here I was, hesitating over a few minutes.

I started typing, but a small voice told me to verify first. I opened another messaging app to reach out to her. Minutes passed with no answer.

Every second felt heavier as the message repeated in my head, "It's urgent... it's urgent... it's urgent."

But at this point, I was determined to know what was happening. I called her directly. She did not answer the first time. I dialed again immediately. When she finally answered, her voice was completely calm.

I jumped into the inquiry, "Where are you? Why do you need money? What's going on?"

Her answer was both shocking and relieving, "I was having lunch... what money?"

The reality behind 'urgent' DM

That was the moment realisation kicked in that her Instagram handle had been hacked.

A hacker had taken over her account and was messaging her contacts with a manufactured urgency, hoping someone would fall for it.

Sadly, someone did. We later found out that another mutual acquaintance, caught off guard by the panic, transferred a few thousand rupees to a UPI QR code the scammer had sent.

As I look back on that weekend, I realised something. The message was not just asking me to transfer money; it was asking me to stop thinking or analysing the situation. The emphasis on 'urgency' was a calculated move by the hacker, in order for the people who cared to stop thinking and exploit the personal trust.

Clearly, scammers rely on the fact that the message is coming from a loved one with a known name, picture, and even, to some extent, information. In such situations, the first reaction is usually empathy, not skepticism.

Account hackers

The hacking of social media accounts is becoming disturbingly common. The hackers usually employ the usual tricks: links sent via DMs, credential leaks, or even stolen OTPs.

Once they are inside the system, they could change email addresses or passwords (in some cases) and use the available account information against the person.

In my friend's case, the recovery of the account was a multi-step process; she reported the compromise to Instagram, submitted video selfie verifications, and warned as many contacts as possible before any more damage could be inflicted.

How to protect yourself in such situations

Taking a step back saved my money, but it was a reminder of how vulnerable our digital interactions can be.

If you ever receive a sudden request for financial help from a friend or family member on social media, keep these steps in mind before taking any action:

Push pause: Never transfer any money based solely on a DM or message. Always try to call or meet the person first; it is for your own benefit.

Watch out for red flags: Look for unusual phrasing of messages; refrain from scanning QR codes.

Take steps to safeguard your own information: Enable Two-Factor Authentication on your own social media IDs. Never share any OTPs with anyone.

Report quickly: If you or someone you know is in this bind, quickly report the incident.

This was not the first scam I had encountered; it does not seem like it would be the last. In a world where the digital space is of utmost importance, keeping our information safe should be a priority. A simple step back can save your money and possibly keep you from becoming the next victim of a scam.