A Chandigarh resident, T Rajesh Kumar, fell victim to an elaborate credit card scam, losing nearly nine lakh after being deceived by a caller posing as Ajay Tripathi, a representative of Punjab National Bank.
According to a TOI, the scammer offered the Sector-31 resident assistance in applying for a new credit card, mirroring legitimate promotional calls that banks often make.
Seeing it as a genuine offer, Rajesh engaged in the conversation. The fraudster then transitioned the communication to WhatsApp, citing the need to share additional details. During a subsequent video call, the scammer requested identity verification, instructing Rajesh to display his wife’s American Express and Axis Bank credit cards. The victim complied, assuming it was a routine banking procedure.
Following the video call, the scammer sent Rajesh a link, claiming it was necessary to complete the application process. Upon clicking the link, he noticed unauthorised transactions being processed on both credit cards.
A total of Rs 8,69,400 was charged via Reliance Retail using an American Express card, while an additional Rs 60,000 was siphoned off from the Axis Bank card.
Although Rajesh swiftly blocked the cards, the damage had already been done.
The next day, the scammer contacted Rajesh again, informing him about more transactions. Additionally, the fraudsters managed to track his Amazon account through platform security, preventing further financial loss.
Realising promptly reported the incident to the Chandigarh Cyber Cell, which investigated the matter.
This fraud tactic involves scammers impersonating bank officials to gain victims’ trust. They use video calls, identity verification requests, and fake application links to appear credible. Once the victim is convinced, they are tricked into sharing personal details or clicking malicious links that compromise their banking credentials.
These fraudulent links often follow scammers to bypass security measures, extract credit card details, and even intercept OTPs without directly requesting them.
Various scams are increasingly targeting Indian citizens. One such scam is the digital arrest fraud, where criminals from India and Nepal pose as government officials and extort victims by falsely claiming legal troubles. Victims can sometimes be held in fake digital arrests for extended periods.
In the News:Google Chrome’s AI powered security features roll out publicly
