Rajkot Resident Cheated of Rs 5 Lakh in Sophisticated Credit Card Fraud
A 45-year-old man from Rajkot has become the latest victim of cyber crime, losing nearly Rs 5 lakh to a scammer who posed as a bank credit card officer. The incident has prompted the victim, Paresh Akbari, to file an official complaint with the Rajkot Cyber Crime police station.
How the Elaborate Scam Unfolded
The fraudulent activity began on March 13 when Akbari, a resident of Pedak Road, received an unsolicited call from an individual claiming to represent his bank's credit card department. The caller convincingly informed Akbari that he needed to update his credit card details immediately to continue using his card without interruption.
What made the scam particularly sophisticated was the method of communication. The fraudster initiated a video call with Akbari to establish credibility and then sent an APK file through WhatsApp, presenting it as a legitimate banking application required for the update process.
Trusting the caller's professional demeanor and the apparent legitimacy of the request, Akbari downloaded the application and entered his complete credit card information, including the sensitive CVV number.
The Immediate Financial Consequences
Moments after submitting his financial details through the fake application, Akbari began receiving multiple transaction alerts on his phone. To his horror, he discovered that four separate transactions had been processed using his credit card, totaling approximately Rs 5 lakh.
Police investigation revealed that the stolen funds were used to make payments to four different electricity companies, indicating a well-planned money laundering operation designed to quickly move and conceal the illicit funds.
Realizing he had fallen victim to an elaborate cyber fraud scheme, Akbari immediately approached the Rajkot Cyber Crime police station to file a formal complaint, initiating what promises to be a complex investigation into the sophisticated scam operation.
Growing Concern Over Banking Frauds in India
This incident highlights the increasing sophistication of cyber criminals targeting banking customers across India. The use of video calls to establish trust and the distribution of malicious APK files through popular messaging platforms represents an evolution in fraud tactics that many consumers remain unprepared for.
Cyber security experts emphasize that legitimate banks never contact customers unsolicited to request sensitive information like CVV numbers or ask them to download external applications through messaging platforms.
The Rajkot Cyber Crime police have advised citizens to be extremely cautious of any unsolicited communication regarding their financial accounts and to verify the authenticity of such calls through official bank channels before taking any action.
