Family Loses ₹1.59 Lakh in Fake Online Doctor Appointment Scam in Madhya Pradesh

This article was originally published in MedBound Times. Read the original article.

By Arushi Roy Chowdhury

A family in Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh lost ₹1.59 lakh in a cyber fraud while trying to book a medical appointment for their son, according to police officials. The incident occurred in the Byawari police station area and came to light on 20 February 2026 when the family filed a complaint with local authorities.

The boy had been taken to Nagpur for evaluation of a bone related illness. While he was undergoing treatment, his father asked his wife to search online for the doctor’s contact number to fix an appointment.

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Instead of reaching the hospital, the mother unknowingly connected with cyber fraudsters posing as members of the doctor’s staff.

How the fraudsters gained trust

After answering the call, the scammers convinced the woman they were part of the doctor’s medical team and guided her through a fake appointment process.

They instructed her to download a mobile application on her phone, claiming it was required to confirm the consultation booking.

Moments after installation, money began disappearing from her bank account.

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Police said the fraudsters siphoned funds in three separate transactions:

• ₹50,000 transfer

• ₹50,000 transfer

• ₹59,000 transfer

Total amount lost ₹1,59,000.

The family described the incident as a major financial setback caused by failing to verify the contact details before calling.

The couple approached the Superintendent of Police office in Shahdol and submitted a written complaint at the district police headquarters.

The Additional Superintendent of Police confirmed the complaint and said the Cyber Cell has initiated legal action. Authorities verified that the father had genuine treatment information from a hospital in Nagpur but dialed a fraudulent number found online, after which more than ₹1.5 lakh was debited.

(SY)

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