A Kandivali-based businessman lost Rs 3.97 lakh after an imposter contacted him, posing as a bank official and asked him the OTP on the pretext of renewing the credit/debit card. Kandivali Police have booked an unidentified man under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act. Police said the probe is underway.
The incident occurred on June 10, when the complainant, Jayesh Mehta, 59, owner of an industrial safety gears company, received a call from a man, who introduced himself as an official from a private bank, where Mehta holds an account. The man, who claimed to be calling from the head office at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), told Mehta that his debit card is up for a renewal.
Mehta, who believed the man, immediately fell prey to the con and sought for the man's help to renew it from the comfort of his home. The man asked Mehta to share a One Time Password (OTP) that he will receive on his phone to initiate the procedure and get a renewal within minutes. Mehta obliged and shared the password.
Police said, within minutes of sharing the OTP, he lost over Rs 3.97 lakh in eight transactions, each worth Rs 49,637. When Mehta called back on the number from which he had received a call, it was unavailable, subsequently being convinced that he was duped. Mehta then approached Kandivali police station two days later and lodged a complaint, following which he also filled a dispute form at his bank.
While police have neither identified the suspect nor made any arrests, the investigation is underway and police are checking the internet protocol address. Lately, there has been a surge in KYC frauds and card renewal frauds, wherein the fraudster already has your card details and requires only the OTP to dupe you to the tune of lakhs of rupees, said an official.
