Bengaluru, January 24: A tech professional from Bengaluru was duped out of INR 2.8 crore in a sophisticated cyber scam. The fraudsters, pretending to be Citibank officials, contacted the victim on WhatsApp on November 27, 2024, claiming that his credit card approval was still pending and advising them to purchase a new SIM card.
According to a report by India Today, the victim received a WhatsApp call from someone pretending to be a Citibank representative. The caller claimed the victim's credit card approval was pending and suggested buying a new SIM card. Within days of the call, the victim received a parcel bearing the bank's address, which contained a smartphone identified as an MI 13 C. Parcel Scam in Mumbai: Fraudsters Posing As 'Delhi Cops' Dupe Elderly Woman of INR 1.51 Crore After Victim Sends Parcel to Her Daughter in US.
Trusting the package, the victim used the new SIM card in the phone, unaware it was preloaded with malicious apps. These apps intercepted OTPs, giving the scammers access to the victim’s banking details. After activating the SIM card, the scammers managed to siphon off INR 2.8 crore, including fixed deposit funds, from the victim's HDFC Bank accounts. Digital Arrest Scam: Government Blocks Over 6.69 Lakhs SIM Cards and 1,32,000 IMEI Numbers.
Using the malicious apps, they forwarded SMS and OTPs to themselves, gaining unauthorized access to the victim’s bank accounts without detection. The victim has reported the incident to the Whitefield Police Station, prompting an investigation under the IT Act.
The victim realized something was amiss when no updates or emails about the credit card were received. On December 5, 2024, a visit to the bank revealed that INR 2.8 crore had been fraudulently withdrawn from two of their HDFC Bank accounts.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2025 04:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).