Fraudsters cash in on cash clean-up

Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 5

With chaos prevailing around the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, fraudsters have found a way to cash in on the situation. City residents complained that they got fraudulent phone calls, where the caller tried to get debit card, credit card numbers, account details, KYC (know your customer) data and even asked for PINs and OTPs.

In one such incident, a city-based professor fell prey to scamsters and reported fraudulent transaction of around Rs 2 lakh. “A person claiming to be an SBI employee asked me to verify the credit card details which he had with him. He had all details, even the amount of the last bill and the last transaction made. He said he would be upgrading my security features and that I would be getting a phone call for all my transactions in the near future. After that he changed my registered mobile number and made huge fraudulent transactions of Rs 2 lakh from e-commerce players,” complained Radhika (name changed).

She said, “Through mail, I learnt that a transaction has been made, I immediately informed the e-commerce players to cancel the order. One of the company has already cancelled the request. I have submitted my request with the other company to cancel the request.”

Echoing a similar complaint, another city-based working woman said she got a call from a fraudster claiming to an RBI official. “The person called from mobile number +918676093614 and told me that he was calling from the RBI and asked me to disclose the KYC details on the phone, which I refused. When I didn’t succumb to his pressure, he threatened me that Rs 1,975 would be deducted from my account and the account balance would be made zero. He even sent am SMS from +917872667811, stating that Rs 1,975 had been deducted from my account,” said Namita (name changed)

These two women are among the many city residents who have received fraudulent phone calls, where the callers tried to get debit card and credit card numbers, KYC details, account numbers and PINs and OTPs.

Bankers, however, said they never asked for these details and one should not fall prey to scamsters. In case of any calls, the person concerned must visit his bank.

Man defrauded of Rs 10,000

Mohali, December 5

A youth was allegedly defrauded of Rs 10,000 from his bank account by a person who claimed to be calling from his bank.

Rakesh Kumar, a student of BA II who does a part-time job, complained that he received a call from a person who claimed he was from the bank. The caller said his account would be closed unless he gave his account number and ATM PIN. The youth shared the information and got a message on his mobile last evening that Rs 5,000 had been withdrawn from his account. He again got  a message this morning that Rs 5,000 more had been withdrawn. The police are probing the matter. — OC