Chandigarh man loses Rs 3.9L in fake customer helpline fraud

A Cyber Crime Police Station team arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly duping a city resident while posing as a customer care executive.

The accused, who has been identified as Imran Ansari, son of Nur Alam Ansari, hails from Brahmapur, West Bengal.

The complaint was lodged by Om Parkash, a Chandigarh resident, who reported being defrauded of Rs 3.9 lakh.

Looking to renew his subscription for an online streaming platform, the complainant had contacted a customer care number that he had found while surfing on the internet.

The accused, who answered the phone call, obtained the complainant email credentials while posing as a customer care executive.

Over a 37-minute phone call, he also managed to gain access to the complainant’s bank account.

The police said the accused had opened a bank account in IndusInd Bank, which was used to siphon off funds.

A raid was carried out with the assistance of local police, leading to his arrest. The police team have recovered a mobile phone and a SIM card from his possession.

Police custody of the accused has been sought to analyse the seized phone and trace the larger nexus.

A case was registered under under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Meanwhile, authorities have urged citizens to avoid relying customer care numbers found on the internet and to report any suspicious activities to the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930.