Hyderabad woman loses Rs. 7.5 lakhs in fake bank call scam
Hyderabad: A 35-year-old private employee in Hyderabad fell victim to cyber fraud, impersonating an HDFC Bank official. The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, lost Rs. 7,50,000 (seven lakh fifty thousand rupees only).
According to the cybercrime police, the incident began with a phone call allegedly from HDFC Bank. The caller informed the victim of a newly issued credit card in her name and unauthorized transactions on the account. The caller pressured the victim to make an immediate payment to avoid deductions from her bank account. However, the victim firmly denied ever applying for or receiving any credit card.
The scammer exploited the victim’s fear by claiming the card originated from Mumbai. They further fabricated a story alleging the victim’s Aadhaar card was involved in creating four additional fraudulent accounts across different states. These accounts, the scammer claimed, were linked to a money laundering scheme of Rs. 25-30 lakhs.
The fraudster further threatened her with a fictitious CBI investigation and a potential arrest warrant if she didn’t cooperate. Later, the scammer initiated a video call disguised as a police officer, adding a layer of legitimacy to their threats.
The scammer instructed her to close both fixed deposits and transfer the combined sum of Rs. 7,50,000 to a designated account. To maintain secrecy, the scammer fabricated the transfer as a ‘national secret’ sanctioned by the Supreme Court, demanding an RTGS transfer with a promised refund upon investigation completion within seven days.
Upon returning to the office and confiding in colleagues, the victim realized she had been scammed. She immediately filed a complaint with the authorities seeking assistance. The Cybercrime Police are investigating the case.
Victims of cyber financial fraud are advised to report the incident immediately by dialing the National Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930 or visiting the official portal, cybercrime.gov.in.
