Srinagar 7 December (KNB): Financial Fraud Team of Cyber Police Kashmir has succeeded in saving 2 lakhs of amount of several people who had become victims of fraudsters posing as staff of different banks.
In a statement issued to Kashmir News Bureau officials said that a shopkeeper aged 70 years, hailing from South Kashmir’s Tral received a call from fraudsters posing as staff of the Jammu & Kashmir Bank Headquarters.
Officials stated, “The caller told him that his ATM Card is going to be blocked and in order to renew the same he had to give the card details,” adding that the shopkeeper who is illiterate took the help of his minor granddaughter and did not even mind to share the OTP, he received shortly.
Statement read, “the shopkeeper smelled foul play only when he received a message that an amount of Rs 95,000 was debited from his account. He then frantically contacted the Cyber Police Station Kashmir and lodged a report.”
Officials stated that the Financial Fraud Team of Cyber Police Kashmir acted swiftly and succeeded in saving the whole amount of victims.
The statement further read, “In similar OTP/vishing fraud case, Cyber Police Station Kashmir has got refunded Rs 72,938/- in current week where a Govt Employee of Srinagar city shared his Debit card details in a same manner,” adding that the employee later realised that he has been duped, when he received a message from his Bank that an amount of Rs 72,938/- was debited from his account for a Flipkart purchase.
Officials stated that the victim quickly contacted Cyber Police Station Kashmir Zone, Srinagar and Cyber Police Station managed to save the whole amount.
Officials further said that in OTP/Vishing fraud, victims get phone calls from fraudsters claiming to be officers from different banks.
“Though the gullible people initially are not convinced about the callers due to the recent instances of online frauds, the callers, who claimed to be making the call for activation of their Debit cards, read out certain digits of their card which often are similar in series and other details to convince them. The gullible people then pass on the card details and other information sought by the caller/fraudster believing them to be genuine employees,” officials said, adding that they only realise that it was a case of online fraud when they got a message that their bank accounts have been debited.
Police officials said that usually the complaints in such cases are reported/ registered only much later, making it hard for the Cyber Police to take steps to recover and refund the money.
Officials further stated, “Cyber Police Station, Kashmir Zone Srinagar is advising time and again to the general public to remain very careful while receiving such Calls from unknown sources with regard to Vishing/OTP Frauds.”
“Cyber Police Station has also advised general masses not to share the ATM Card Details (Debit/Credit Card), bank details, account details, personal details, OTP etc. to anyone so that they will not lose their hard earned money,” statement read. (KNB)