Senior Citizens Targeted in Bhilai Cyber Fraud: A Wake-Up Call-Two elderly individuals in Bhilai recently fell victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, highlighting the urgent need for increased digital literacy and stronger law enforcement.**
The Modus Operandi: A Slick Operation-The fraudsters employed a deceptively simple yet effective technique. Posing as SBI customer care representatives, they contacted their victims—both residents of Bhilai—while they were updating their SBI YONO app. A malicious link was sent via WhatsApp, ostensibly for app updates. Once the victims clicked the link and entered their details, the fraudsters swiftly emptied their accounts.
The Shocking Twist: OTP Bypassed-What’s particularly alarming is that the fraudsters didn’t even need an OTP. Their technical prowess allowed them to directly access and drain the accounts, merely by obtaining account details. This suggests a high level of sophistication and planning on the part of the perpetrators.
Case 1: ₹1.90 Lakh Lost-Rajesh Kumar Pandey, a resident of Nehru Nagar West, lost ₹1.90 lakh on June 26th. He received a call, followed by a malicious link, leading to the immediate depletion of his funds. He promptly reported the incident to the police.
Case 2: ₹2.80 Lakh Stolen from Retired Manager-In another incident, 85-year-old Ramashankar Pandey, a retired mines department manager, was defrauded of ₹2.80 lakh. He too was targeted with the same deceptive link, resulting in the theft of his life savings.
Police Investigation Underway-Both cases have been reported to the Jamul and Supela police stations. While investigations are underway to trace the source of the calls and the individuals behind the fraudulent links, no arrests have been made yet.
The Growing Threat of Cybercrime-Cybercrime is on the rise in the Durg district, causing significant financial losses and raising concerns about public safety. The lack of swift and effective action against perpetrators further fuels a sense of insecurity among the population. Stronger law enforcement and increased public awareness are urgently needed to combat this growing threat.