Gurgaon techie outsmarts scammer with offer to 'redesign' fake website for Rs 20,000

It was a scam attempt masked as a routine communication from HDFC Bank. (Representational)

In an age where smartphones have become indispensable, scam calls and phishing texts remain an omnipresent nuisance. However, a fresh twist on this issue emerged from Gurgaon, where a software engineer used his tech skills to deliver a clever retort to a scammer. The story of the viral encounter has sparked widespread amusement on social media.

Gaurav Sharan, a cybersecurity analyst, recently shared screenshots of a scam attempt masked as a routine communication from HDFC Bank. The fraudster’s scheme was to trick the user into updating his PAN details through a fraudulent link.

Instead of falling victim to the ploy, the user turned the situation into an opportunity to outwit the scammer. With a deft blend of humour, the user proposed to “redesign” the scammer’s fake website—for a price of Rs 20,000.

"Easy to find it is a scamming website. I am a software engineer, I can help you redesign the page. For 20K, I will help you redesign exactly like the HDFC net banking site," Sharan wrote in his reply.

This unexpected counter-offer exposed the scam. The scammer, perhaps bemused or intrigued, requested a sample of the redesigned site via WhatsApp.

The exchange, which Sharan shared on social media platform X with the caption, “Lesson: Never mess with a developer,” quickly captivated users.

The tweet, featuring screenshots of the conversation, can be viewed here:

Lesson: Never mess with a developer pic.twitter.com/GSmtrdDo4A

— Gaurav Sharan (@GauravSharan09) July 27, 2024