Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 21 March 2024
On March 13, 2024, a resident of Dollygunj, Port Blair fell victim to a sophisticated scam, losing a substantial sum of money amounting to Rs. 2,17,792/-. The victim, received a deceptive call from an individual posing as a bank employee named Pradeep Dutta.
The fraudster informed the victim that their Know Your Customer (KYC) details required updating, a common pretext used in such scams. Under the guise of assisting with the update, the scammer cunningly extracted sensitive information including the victim’s Aadhar card, PAN card number, and date of birth.
Taking the deception further, the scammer insisted on conducting a WhatsApp video call, using the number 91 7439925576. During this call, the victim inadvertently shared their screen, enabling the fraudster to create internet banking credentials using the provided documents.
Despite not divulging the One Time Password (OTP) for the transaction, the victim was helpless as the scammer could view it on the shared screen. Consequently, an unauthorized deduction of Rs. 2,17,792/- was made from the victim’s Bandhan Bank account.
In response to the fraudulent activity, the victim promptly filed a formal complaint through National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). The victim has urged authorities to take swift legal action against the perpetrator responsible for the financial fraud.
This incident serves as a stark reminder for individuals to remain vigilant against such scams and to refrain from sharing personal or financial information over unsolicited calls or messages. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the matter to apprehend the fraudster and prevent further occurrences of such fraudulent activities.