In Ahmedabad, scammers posing as Bank of India staff defrauded Pravinkant S. Patel, a retired resident of Vejalpur, of ₹22.2 lakh.
The victim unintentionally gave critical bank account information using a fake mobile application between November 5 and November 6.
An unidentified caller purporting to be from the Bank of India sent the retired government employee a message on WhatsApp.
The “Bank of India Aadhaar Update” notice asked users to update their Aadhaar information in order to avoid having their bank accounts frozen. An APK file—a mobile application—posing as an official Bank of India app was attached by the con artists.
Patel downloaded the app and submitted his information, including his name, phone number, and bank account information, since he believed the message to be genuine. A sequence of unauthorized transactions using NEFT and UPI transfers took ₹22.2 lakh out of his account in a matter of hours.
The police said that the fraudulent activities proceeded quickly and involved the transfer of ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 to different accounts.
Patel tried to get in touch with his bank after noticing the questionable behavior, but he was unable to stop the transfers. When he went to his branch the following morning, he found that even his fixed deposits had been liquidated and moved to unauthorized accounts through overdraft accounts that had been formed without his permission.
According to senior police officers, the victim thought the application was authentic since it had the name and emblem of Bank of India. He feared that if he did not take immediate action, his account might be blocked. It was already too late when he discovered the deception.
In order to track down the offenders, the City Cyber Cell Police have filed a complaint under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. They have also acquired the WhatsApp chats, transaction information, and other supporting documentation.
Authorities are also looking into if the phony application was used in other cases and whether the scammers had inside access to the victim’s banking details.
The police have issued a warning to citizens to exercise caution while dealing with unsolicited messages, especially those requiring personal or financial details.
- Avoid downloading programs or APK files from unreliable sources.
- Avoid sharing sensitive information like Aadhaar details or bank account numbers online.
- Contact your bank directly if you receive such messages.
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