The Nadiad (West) Police arrested Pritesh Prajapati (28), a school drop-out from Vadodara, for conning over 100 people—mostly parents and staff of Santram School, Nadiad—out of lakhs of rupees via WhatsApp OTP fraud.
Modus Operandi
Prajapati joined WhatsApp groups of parents and staff and familiarised himself with members’ identities using caller ID apps.
He registered WhatsApp using someone else’s number and tricked victims into sharing OTPs, claiming it was for school work or emergencies.
Once inside groups, he siphoned funds citing urgent financial needs, medical emergencies, or school-related procedures like report card access.
Victims reported losses ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 16,000, among other amounts.
Accused Background
Pritesh Prajapati (28) – textiles business owner, studied till Class 11
Has at least 14 criminal cases, including 10 cybercheating cases across Ahmedabad, Sabarkantha, Rajkot, Morbi, Amreli, and Junagadh.
Previously detained under PASA (Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act).
Motivated by debt from online gambling and business losses, not by technical hacking expertise.
Investigation and Arrest
Police tracked Prajapati to Vadodara through human intelligence and cyber surveillance.
Investigations are ongoing to determine if he cheated other schools using the same method.
