A 74-year-old woman in Ahmedabad became the victim of a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing a staggering sum of Rs 6.97 lakh. The scam unfolded when a con artist, pretending to be an official from a nationalised bank, tricked her into revealing sensitive personal banking information.
The Deceptive Call and False Pretence
The incident occurred on November 28. The elderly victim received a phone call from an individual who claimed to be calling from the bank's zonal office. The caller insisted that her pension account required an urgent re-verification process. Although the woman initially informed him that her account details were already up to date, the fraudster used persuasive tactics to gain her trust.
He eventually convinced her to share confidential banking details under the guise of completing the necessary update. To further legitimise the ruse, she later received a WhatsApp message that falsely displayed her pension certificate as successfully "updated."
The Shocking Discovery and Financial Loss
The reality of the scam became horrifyingly clear just hours later. The woman started receiving a flurry of One-Time Password (OTP) alerts on her phone, which were quickly followed by multiple debit notifications from her bank.
In a state of shock, she immediately checked her bank statements. The investigation revealed that a total of Rs 6,97,000 had been illegally transferred out of four separate bank accounts. The stolen funds were taken from two accounts that belonged to her and two other accounts held by her daughter.
Police Investigation Underway
Upon realising the theft, the victim promptly contacted the cybercrime helpline. She subsequently filed a formal complaint at the city's cybercrime police station on Wednesday.
According to police officials, an investigation is now in progress. Authorities are meticulously analysing the trail of the crime, which includes:
- Bank transaction records
- Detailed call records
- Digital footprints left by the fraudster
The primary goal of the probe is to identify the perpetrator and trace the beneficiary accounts where the stolen money was transferred. This case highlights the escalating threat of cybercrime targeting senior citizens, who are often seen as vulnerable to such social engineering tactics.
It serves as a critical reminder for the public to never share OTPs, passwords, or personal banking details with unsolicited callers, regardless of how legitimate they may seem.
