A 50-year-old private firm employee in Bengaluru fell victim to a cyber fraudster who posed as an executive of a telecom service provider and offered to upgrade his 4G SIM to 5G. By converting the physical SIM into an e-SIM, the fraudster gained access to the victim's email, mobile number, and bank account. A loan of Rs 15 lakh was fraudulently obtained through the victim's bank account, and Rs 2.1 lakh was siphoned off in just 30 minutes.
Incident Details
According to the complaint filed by Jacob (name changed), a resident of Victoria Layout, the incident occurred on June 13 around 3 pm when he received a call from 7295085693. The caller claimed to be an executive of a telecom service provider and offered to upgrade his mobile connection from 4G to 5G SIM.
The fraudsters collected the embedded identity document (EID) number and converted his mobile number into an e-SIM. Soon after, the fraudster gained control of the victim's email account, mobile number, and banking credentials.
Loan and Siphoning
The fraudster subsequently obtained a loan of Rs 15 lakh in the victim's name through his bank account without his knowledge. Of the sanctioned amount, Rs 14.6 lakh was credited to the victim's account, and almost Rs 2.2 lakh was siphoned off by 3:30 pm. Realizing that his account had been compromised, the victim reported the incident to the cyber helpline and the bank. On June 15, he approached the central cyber crime police and lodged a complaint.
How the Fraud Worked
A senior officer explained that while converting a physical SIM to an e-SIM, the individual has the option to select the device. The fraudsters took advantage of this option and selected their own device to convert and activate the e-SIM. They also hacked the banking credentials and took an instant loan from the bank. Before they could siphon off the entire loan amount, the victim realized it was a fraud and filed a complaint.
Legal Action
A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and BNS section 318 (Cheating).
