Bhopal: Retired BHEL Employee Defrauded of Rs 1.45 Lakh in Sophisticated UPI Scam
In a distressing incident highlighting the growing threat of cybercrime, a 60-year-old retired employee of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) was swindled out of Rs 1.45 lakh by a fraudster impersonating an acquaintance. The victim, Ratan Singh, a resident of the Piplani area in Bhopal, fell prey to this elaborate scam after receiving a deceptive phone call.
Details of the Fraudulent Scheme
According to police reports, Ratan Singh received a call from an unknown mobile number a few days ago. The caller, posing as someone known to him, engaged in a conversation that seemed genuine and trustworthy. During this interaction, the fraudster skillfully extracted sensitive information related to Singh's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) account.
Believing the voice to be that of a familiar person, Singh complied with the requests and shared the confidential details. Following the caller's instructions, he proceeded to transfer a total of Rs 1.45 lakh in two separate transactions to the account provided by the scammer.
Aftermath and Police Action
It was only after completing the transactions that Ratan Singh realized he had been cheated. He immediately took action by lodging a formal complaint on the National Cybercrime Helpline number. In response, the Piplani police have registered a case against the unidentified mobile user involved in this fraudulent activity.
Investigation is currently underway to trace the accused and recover the defrauded amount. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant against such scams, emphasizing the importance of verifying identities before sharing any financial or personal information over the phone.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the sophisticated tactics employed by cyber criminals, particularly targeting vulnerable individuals like retirees. The police are also advising citizens to report any suspicious calls or activities to the cybercrime helpline promptly to prevent further losses.
