Adverts inviting people to sell their kidneys for $1million (£900,000) have been exposed as part of a scam.
Cybercriminals are responsible for the fake Google Ads appeal that even used the names of a genuine doctor and hospital to add authenticity to their ruse even though neither were in anyway involved.
The fraudsters claimed that India's Bangalore Baptist Hospital was asking for volunteers to sell their kidneys for life-changing sums of money to be supposedly used for transplant operations with Dr Antony Robert Charles named as the surgeon to further con people into believing that the advertisements were legitimate.
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But anybody who paid a requested registration fee, which ranged from £295 to £2,340, would never have received their money or have been operated on with the selling of kidneys illegal in India, as it is in most countries across the world.
The scammers used the Bangalore Baptist Hospital name on their fake website and asked for the registration fees to be deposited at the hospital, whose reputation has been affected by the hoax.
It was uncovered as fraud after a victim of the deception criticised the hospital online and even shared Dr Charles' WhatsApp details.
The doctor immediately responded, confirming that neither he or the hospital were associated in any practice involving the sale of kidneys.
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Three other victims who had fallen foul of the tricksters then also came forward with complaints and, in July, the hospital informed the Cyber Economic and Narcotics Crime police station, while Dr Charles filed a complaint at the Yeswanthpur cybercrime police station.
He said: "A few more people have complained that they were cheated by some unknown persons using the hospital’s name."
Dr Charles went on to reveal that the hospital continues to receive phone calls from people who are willing to sell their kidneys in exchange for the huge amounts of cash advertised.
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