Online fraudsters have refused to mend their ways and are striking at will in the city. Less than a week after a businessman from Bhayandar was duped of Rs.3.67 lakh by online fraudsters, a 52-year-old man became the latest victim of a phishing scam in Kashimira.
The online fraudsters hacked into the e-wallet account of the complainant who deals in cycle spares, and siphoned off more than Rs. 18,000 under the guise of completing the Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
After a brief conversation, the fake caller sent a link and asked him to click on that and complete the process. The complainant complied and after clicking the link he was shocked as Rs. 18,600 was immediately siphoned-off via multiple transactions from his bank account which was connected with the mobile wallet.
The complainant immediately alerted his bank and informed the police which registered an offence under section 420 of the IPC against unidentified fraudsters. However sections of the Information Technology (amended) Act, 2008 have not been invoked in the case. After receiving numerous such complaints, e-wallet portals have pleaded users to maintain caution and not fall for fake calls and scam messages from fraudsters seeking KYC pretending to be company officials.
The Thane (rural) police have also been releasing advisories stating that no information regarding bank accounts should be shared and no unverified links should be clicked over the phone even if the caller knows the name as well as other details of the person who is being called.
In case you are a victim of cyber fraud:▪︎
Immediately alert the local police station or call the 24x7 Cyber Helpline-- 9820810007 set up to prevent and tackle Cyber Crime.
▪︎For bank frauds, immediately alert the concerned bank, block the card and fill a dispute form. If a fraud is reported within 24 hours of crime, it becomes the responsibility of the concerned stakeholder to recover the money.
▪︎Never share your bank details, debit/credit card number, and One Time Password (OTP).
While alerting bank, keep following documents handy --
•Bank statement of the last six months
•A copy of SMSs received related to the alleged transactions
•Identity and address proof as shown in the bank records
