Bengaluru: In a distressing incident, a retired principal has become a victim of online fraud, losing a staggering sum of Rs 72.9 lakh during her retirement. The retired principal, who wishes to remain anonymous, was introduced to two individuals, claiming to be Satyam Pandey and Mittal, via WhatsApp. Over time, these individuals developed a close rapport with the retiree through constant communication on the messaging platform.
The perpetrators allegedly lured the retiree with promises of winning a substantial lottery prize, under the condition that her bank accounts should be linked to a mobile number provided by them. Falling for their deceitful scheme, the retiree proceeded to link the mobile number suggested by the fraudsters to her accounts at the State Bank of India and Indian Bank.
On October 26, the retiree received a significant sum of around Rs 50.5 lakh, which was promptly transferred to her State Bank of India account. Subsequently, on October 31, an additional Rs 22.3 lakh was credited to her Indian Bank account. However, unbeknownst to her, the fraudsters executed unauthorized transfers amounting to Rs 72.9 lakh between October 26 and November 2 to their own accounts.
The retiree only discovered the deceit when she visited her bank to review her statement, shedding light on the fraudulent activity. The matter has since been reported to the authorities, and a case has been registered at the CEN police station, launching an investigation into the incident.
A police official said the incident is not one of such cases as there has been a rise of such cases in Karnataka and an investigation is on to nab the culprits. "We're taking the case seriously as recently similar incidents related to cyber crime came to our notice. An investigation is on to bring persons involved to book," he said.
