Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 03 June 2024
In a distressing incident, an Assistant Manager of State Bank of India, posted at Port Blair, fell prey to fraudulent activities, losing a significant sum of money in a sophisticated online scam. The victim found himself entangled in a web of deceit orchestrated by unknown fraudsters, resulting in a loss of Rs. 1,44,000 (Rupees One lakh forty four thousand only).
The victim’s ordeal began on May 20, 2024, around 11:35 AM, when he received a message via WhatsApp from an unidentified number, purporting to represent Amazon E-commerce India. The message, coupled with a link to a purported Amazon product, led him into a fraudulent scheme. Subsequent interactions via Telegram and WhatsApp saw the victim sharing his personal and bank details under the guise of completing online tasks for promised returns.
Initially lured with a meagre amount of Rs. 900 credited to his account for completing some tasks, the victim was asked to invest money to earn more profits. Subsequently he invested Rs. 1000 and got Rs. 1300 back in his account. He soon found himself embroiled in a cycle of investments, hoping for substantial profits as baited by the fraudsters. Over multiple transactions, he transferred varying amounts totalling Rs. 1,44,000 to different account numbers provided by the scammers.
However, despite his substantial investments, the victim received neither profits nor commissions as promised. Realising the deception, he lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police Station in Port Blair, urging immediate action against the perpetrators.