LAHORE: Farmers who have previously taken loans from the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) are being targeted by fraudsters posing as bank officials and offering fake free tractors, in a scam that can lead to the takeover of victims’ WhatsApp accounts.
According to reports, callers contact farmers from different mobile numbers and use information about their previous loans to make the offer appear genuine. Victims are then shown a supposed online booking process for a free tractor.
The fraudsters subsequently tell victims that a verification code has been sent to their mobile phones to confirm the booking. Once the victim shares the code, the scammers can use it to register the victim’s WhatsApp account on another device, effectively taking control of the account.
WhatsApp Accounts Used to Demand Money
After gaining access, the fraudsters reportedly use the victim’s contact list to approach friends, relatives and other contacts with requests for money under false pretences.
The latest scheme is particularly concerning because the callers appear to have information about borrowers’ previous dealings with ZTBL, making the fake tractor offer more convincing.
Reports also suggest that the network has begun using women callers with persuasive voices, expanding the methods used to convince potential victims to disclose verification codes.
Farmers Warned Against Sharing Verification Codes
The scam highlights a basic but critical security rule: WhatsApp verification codes should never be shared with anyone, even if the caller claims to represent a bank, government department or another trusted organisation.
Farmers and other bank customers are being urged to independently verify unexpected offers and avoid clicking on suspicious links or participating in unofficial online booking processes.
The reported fraud has raised wider concerns over the misuse of personal and financial information to identify potential targets, particularly among account holders who may assume that callers possessing accurate loan details are legitimate.
The incident serves as another warning that social engineering remains one of the easiest ways for criminals to bypass digital security — by convincing users to hand over the very codes that protect their accounts.
