A 54-year-old man in Mangaluru has allegedly been cheated of Rs 6.9 lakh after unidentified fraudsters hacked his mobile phone and carried out unauthorised online transactions from multiple bank accounts. The incident came to light when the victim noticed several SMS alerts on May 4 and, upon checking the bank’s mobile application, discovered that money had been transferred without his knowledge.
Complaint and Investigation
The victim immediately lodged a complaint with the 1930 cyber helpline and later filed a formal complaint at the Kavoor police station. A bank statement from the Kavoor branch revealed that over Rs 3.7 lakh was transferred in phases via UPI on May 3 to an account with a digital banking service provider. Further verification of another account at the Kuloor branch showed an additional transfer of over Rs 3.1 lakh via UPI on the same day to the same service provider’s account and another bank account.
Total Loss and Police Action
A separate cyber helpline complaint was also filed for the second account. According to police, the total amount siphoned off from the victim's accounts was over Rs 6.9 lakh. Authorities have launched an investigation to trace the fraudsters and recover the stolen funds. The case highlights the growing threat of cyber fraud, particularly through phone hacking and unauthorized UPI transactions. Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately.
