Mumbai: A 42-year-old Vikhroli resident, who wanted to clear his payment of Rs 450 for a ride taken through a cab aggregator company, ended up losing Rs 1 lakh to cyber-fraud. The victim, who had been receiving calls from the company to clear the payment, surfed on the internet and came across a fraudulent customer care number.
The fraudster, on the pretext of helping the victim, then induced the victim to download a remote access app and siphoned money from his bank account.
Victim took the ride in October last year
According to the Vikhroli police, in October last year, the complainant had taken a ride through a cab aggregator company and his payment of Rs 450 for the ride was pending. The company had been pursuing the victim to settle the said payment.
On Saturday as well, the victim received a phone call to settle his payment at the earliest, The victim then surfed on the internet and came across a fraudulent customer care number.
Victim contacted a fraudulent customer care number
The victim contacted the said number and the person who answered the call told the victim that a senior official would call him back and assist the victim. After a few minutes, the victim received a phone call from an unknown mobile number and the caller claimed to be calling from the company. The caller then asked the victim to download an app on his phone and also induced the victim to share his debit card details, police said.
The victim was coerced to share debit card details, money swiped off in a few minutes
As soon as the victim shared his bank card details, money started to get debited from his bank account. In a span of few minutes, the victim ended up losing Rs 1 lakh in multiple transactions. Having realised that he had been duped, the victim contacted his bank and got his debit card blocked and later approached the police and got an offence registered in the matter on Sunday.
The police have registered a case under section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code and 66D (cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the Information Technology Act.
Mumbai Cyber Safe
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
10 tips to stay safe from online banking fraud |
