Cyber crooks siphons-off Rs 6.77 lakh by hacking mobile phone

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

In a chilling escalation of digital crime, a local resident of Waluj MIDC area has been defrauded of over Rs 6.77 lakhs after hacking his mobile phone. The cyber crooks siphoned off the money from two different bank accounts by making online transactions through credit cards.

In a departure from typical phishing scams, the victim reportedly clicked on no suspicious links and received no One-Time Passwords (OTPs) before his accounts were drained.

The victim, Nitin Dattatray Pawar (48), a private sector employee residing in Bajajnagar, discovered the security breach on the morning of May 9. Between 10.30 am and 12.30 pm, cybercriminals successfully infiltrated his device, gaining full access to his banking credentials.

According to the official police complaint filed at the MIDC Waluj Police Station, the attackers targeted multiple financial streams simultaneously. They made online transactions through SBI and ICICI Bank’s credit card and SBI Bank’s savings account.

Seven separate transactions were made on an ICICI credit card totalling Rs 4,95,000, while two transactions on an SBI credit card siphoned off a further Rs 1,05,000. An additional Rs 77,500 was transferred directly from the complainant’s SBI savings account.

"The most alarming aspect of this case is the technical sophistication involved," a police spokesperson said. "The complainant was not on a call, received no OTP messages, and did not interact with any suspicious apps or links during the two-hour window when the money was stolen."

Due to the increasing incidents of cyber fraud, the police have advised citizens to remain more vigilant regarding information related to their bank accounts, credit card details, OTPs, as well as the apps and permissions on their mobile phones.

The investigation is underway under the guidance of the senior Police Inspector Rameshwar Gade. Meanwhile, the police have urged the citizens to contact the national cyber helpline or their bank immediately if they notice unauthorised transactions.