A senior doctor at a prominent south Kolkata hospital has been defrauded of nearly Rs 7.8 lakh in a sophisticated banking scam. According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed with the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station, several colleagues have also fallen victim, with total losses amounting to close to Rs 14 lakh.
How the Scam Unfolded
The fraudsters allegedly blocked the victim's mobile banking alerts before executing the unauthorized transactions. The senior physician, who holds a premium account at a public sector bank branch located on the hospital premises, noticed that all transaction SMS alerts abruptly stopped arriving from April 16. The crime occurred while the doctor was grieving the demise of his mother, leaving him distracted and unable to monitor his account statement regularly.
The fraud came to light recently when the doctor attempted to use his debit card and discovered that his account had been completely emptied. Investigators revealed that Rs 7.8 lakh was fraudulently debited through a series of unauthorized online transactions between April 19 and April 27.
Wider Impact on Hospital Staff
Officials indicate that four to five other medical staff members of the healthcare facility have also fallen prey to similar fraudulent transactions. The total amount defrauded from the group is close to Rs 14 lakh. The Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station has launched a probe and registered an FIR into the systematic siphoning of money.
Police are investigating how the fraudsters managed to block the SMS alerts and carry out the transactions without the victims' knowledge. They suspect a coordinated cyber attack targeting the bank's customers at the hospital. Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses.
