Mumbai Cyber Safe: Lured by discount offer, man loses ₹8 lakh

A 68-year-old man lost Rs8 lakh after falling prey to a fraudulent advertisement of washing machines being sold at prices lower than market rates. Bharat Patel, a south Mumbai resident, came across the advertisement on Facebook and received a call after he showed interest in the offer.

The caller told Patel that a link will be sent on his mobile phone and he needs to give his details via the link for proceeding with the deal. Unsuspecting, the aggrieved followed the instructions.

Multiple illegal transactions made from five accounts

Later, he received a message that ₹39,899 was debited from his bank account. He was yet to come to terms with the happening when he learnt that several illegal transactions have been made from his five accounts. In total, ₹7.97 lakh had been debited.

Cyber fraudsters hacked victim's phone through malicious link

Sensing the fraud, Patel wrote to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abhinav Deshmukh. After verifying the complaint, the DCP ordered the DB Marg police station to register an offence. A police official said that cyber fraudsters have hacked into Patel's phone via the malicious link.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act, 2000. 

Mumbai police cautions citizens

According to Cyber Crime Cell under Crime Branch of Mumbai police , the most common form of online frauds are related to banks, online commerce platforms where fraudsters, posing as bank /platform officials, convince the victim to share OTP, KYC updates and sometimes send the links to be clicked to access bank accounts.“People should know that no bank or institution is authorised to demand for bank details or PIN numbers. Unfortunately, educated people are falling prey to online frauds and losing lakhs of rupees,” explained DCP Cyber Crime, Balsingh Rajput.