A south Mumbai-based septuagenarian was duped of Rs 62,596 by an unidentified accused on the pretext of updating his debit card's Know Your Customer (KYC) details, failing which his card would be invalid. The 70-year-old was asked to send a picture of the debit card to the imposter and then download a TeamViewer application, following which the money was wired in a series of transactions. A case has been lodged against the accused.
The 70-year-old victim, a waste paper supplier to the industries, recently fell prey to one of the most common banking frauds that have picked up pace during the lockdown. The senior citizen, who is an account holder of a national bank, opted to do his financial transactions online so as to avoid going to the branch amidst the lockdown.
During this time, on the evening of July 28, he received a call from a man who introduced himself as an agent of the bank, Rahul Agrawal, and informed him that his debit card will be considered invalid if the KYC formalities are not completed. Alarmed by the information, the septuagenarian immediately enquired if he needed to visit the branch to keep his card active. To this, Agrawal assured him that the procedure can be carried out online.
"The agent asked me to first download a TeamViewer application on the phone and share a One Time Password (OTP), following which he asked me to send the photograph of both sides of my debit card. Believing that he wishes my best interests, I shared the details and Agrawal kept me busy on the phone with idle conversations," said the 70-year-old in his complaint. As soon as the septuagenarian disconnected the phone, he saw a series of text messages from the bank, informing him of Rs 62,596 being debited from his account.
Having realised that he was duped by Agrawal on the pretext of completing the KYC procedure, he immediately approached the bank and intimated them, following which he went to MRA Marg police and lodged a complaint. While the police booked the unidentified accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act on August 20, no arrests have been made yet.
