40 bank customers lost lakhs in 3 days

A recent report has highlighted how fraudsters are using SMS messages to steal money from bank customers. According to the report, 40 customers of a private bank in Mumbai lost lakhs in just three days after clicking on a link sent to them via a fake bank SMS. The SMS alerted them to update their KYC and PAN, otherwise, their bank account would be blocked. Unfortunately, many bank customers fell for it and lost their money, including TV actress Shweta Menon, who lost more than Rs 50,000 after clicking on the link.

Upon clicking on the link, the customers were redirected to a website where they were asked to enter their customer ID, passwords, and OTP. In some cases, they even received a call from someone claiming to be a bank official who asked them to enter the OTP they received on their mobile phone. Following the instructions, Menon entered her details and OTP, which resulted in a debit of Rs 57,636 from her account.

After realising the fraud, Menon and other victims reported the case to the cyber cell, and Mumbai Police issued an advisory, alerting citizens to not click on any random links asking for confidential information. However, it is concerning how easily scammers can trick people and steal money, despite people being aware of all the cyber fraud prevention measures.

It is important for bank customers to remember that banks will never ask for sensitive information via SMS or phone calls. If in doubt, they should always verify the authenticity of the communication through their bank’s official website or customer service. It is also important to keep passwords and OTPs confidential and not to share them with anyone. By staying vigilant and cautious, bank customers can protect themselves from falling victim to such scams.