Vizag Cyber Scam: Over 30 Victims Lose Rs 20 Lakh in Credit Card Fraud
Residents of Visakhapatnam are being targeted by a sophisticated cyber fraud scheme, with police reporting that over 30 individuals have been duped of approximately Rs 20 lakh in the past month. The scam involves fraudsters posing as bank officials to offer instant credit card limit increases and KYC updates, exploiting victims through deceptive phone calls, WhatsApp messages, or texts.
How the Scam Operates
The cyber criminals initiate contact from unknown numbers, claiming to represent a bank's credit card department. They inform victims that their KYC has expired and offer a pre-approved limit enhancement to lure them in. Once trust is established, the fraudsters send a malicious link to the victim's mobile device.
Upon clicking the link, victims are prompted to enter basic details, which the scammers use to siphon funds directly from their credit cards. In one recent case, a 40-year-old man from Vizag lost Rs 60,000 after falling for this ruse. The caller posed as a bank representative, sent a link, and after the victim clicked it, the money was debited without further interaction.
Aggressive Tactics and High Losses
In another incident, a victim was initially uninterested in increasing his credit limit, but the fraudster persisted with repeated calls. Eventually, the man agreed, providing only his bank account and credit card numbers, believing it to be safe. However, after receiving and clicking a link from the caller, he lost over Rs 80,000 within minutes.
Police highlight that the scammers' modus operandi is consistent: they impersonate bank officials, offer quick financial benefits, and use links to deploy malware or collect sensitive information. Their primary goals include tricking people into sharing card details, paying fake processing fees, or interacting with malicious files like AKP attachments.
Police Advisory and Prevention Tips
Authorities in Visakhapatnam urge the public to exercise extreme caution with unsolicited communications regarding credit cards. They emphasize that legitimate banks never request sensitive information or payments via links in unsolicited messages. To avoid falling victim, always verify such offers directly by contacting your bank through official channels before taking any action.
This scam underscores the growing threat of cyber fraud in urban areas, with Vizag seeing a spike in such cases. Residents are advised to report suspicious activities to the police immediately to help curb these criminal operations.
