It all began when the victim received a message on his phone claiming that his bank account had been used for money laundering.
Panicked, the victim contacted the number mentioned in the message.
The person on the other end claimed to be from the Mumbai crime branch and warned him of possible arrest.
Imagine receiving a message on your phone that says you’re involved in a money laundering case and that you could be arrested. That’s exactly what happened to a 47-year-old general manager of an automobile company in Pune, and it cost him a whopping Rs 53 lakh. Keep reading to know how the scam unfolded and how you can avoid falling for such frauds.
It all began when the victim received a message on his phone claiming that his bank account had been used for money laundering and that a case was registered against him. Panicked, the victim contacted the number mentioned in the message, reports TOI. The person on the other end claimed to be from the Mumbai crime branch and warned him of possible arrest. He was told that his bank accounts had to be verified to prove his innocence.
To make the scam more convincing, the fraudsters even made a video call and introduced another person claiming to be from the Reserve Bank of India. They asked the victim to share his bank account details and then instructed him to transfer money for account verification. Believing it was an official process, the man transferred Rs 53 lakh to three different accounts on April 2, thinking the money would be returned after the checks were complete.
The fraudsters stayed in touch via a video call and warned him not to tell anyone. But once the money was gone, they stopped responding to his calls. That’s when he realised it was all a scam and reported the matter.
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How to avoid falling for such scams
- Never share your bank details over calls or messages.
- Always double-check with official helpline numbers or websites before taking action.
- No government or bank official will ever ask you to transfer money for verification.
- Report suspicious messages to the cybercrime unit immediately.
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Ayushi Jain
Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile
