Here’s how installing one mobile app resulted in Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra losing over Rs 1 lakh to scammer

New Delhi: Famous Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra became the latest celebrity who fell victim to a cyber scammer and ended up suffering huge financial setbacks due to the same.

The unfortunate incident unfolded just a day prior to the actress’s 48th Birthday on 29 August when she was suffering from a high fever and prolonged illness.

Speaking about the same, Sreelekha in an interview said that she got a call from an unknown number and the caller on the other side convinced her to download and install a particular application on her mobile phone. However, soon after the actress installed the said app, she lost access to her bank account and by the time she regained it, a significant amount from her account was already deducted.

She further said that due to her illness, she was unable to process the gravity of the situation property and couldn’t figure out that she was dealing with an online electricity bill scammer. Her carelessness and weakened state of mind made the actress an easy target for the scammer who robbed more than ₹1 Lakh from her bank account.

Sreelekha alerts public against cyber scam’s looming threat

Infuriated and disheartened by the malicious tactics of the scammer that caused her to lose money, “the actress took to her social media platform and shared the whole incident with her fans and followers.

In her post, the Once Upon a Time in Calcutta fame addressed the importance of caution and vigilance one must have while dealing with such situations. Admitting her mistake of taking the scammer’s call casually and trusting him easily, the actress also expressed her willingness to alter the general public regarding the emerging threat of cyber scams of similar nature.

Sharing her view on the incident, Srilekha spoke with a media outlet and told them that she thought she was playing it smart but ended up being the foolish one. “I am requesting everyone to stay cautious of such dangerous cyber scams. I am unwilling to reveal the exact amount I have lost but it was more than 1 lakh,” she said.

She further added that she had lodged an FIR regarding the crime with the cyber police and also lauded them for taking immediate action on the basis of her complaint.

What’s next for Sreelekha?

 

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A post shared by Vikram Chatterjee (@vikramchatterje)

On the work front, Sreelekha Mitra recently finished the shoot of Vikram Chatarjee’s upcoming movie Pariah which is all set for its release by the fall of 2023. Besides Srelekha, the film also cast a number of other talented actors including Angana Roy, Ambarish Bhattacharya, and Soumya Mukherjee. Additionally, the actress has also expressed her willingness to try her hand in the film’s direction.

While the actress keenly waits to collaborate with a worthy producer, her unfortunate encounter with a cyber scammer comes as a crisp reminder for everyone to be extremely cautious while dealing with strangers online and knowing the importance of cybersecurity in our rapidly globalising digital world.