In an unfortunate incident, a cloth trader from Malad was duped of Rs 1.56 lakh while trying to find an online medical consultation centre for his father's treatment. The cyber fraud took place after the victim downloaded an app sent by a fraudster posing as a medical service provider and submitted his father's details. The fraudster then managed to siphon off Rs 1,56,500 from the trader’s bank account.
According to police, the complainant resides in Malad and runs a clothing business. On April 19, while looking online for a medical centre for his ailing father, he found a contact number on JustDial and made a call to the listed number. The person on the other end asked him to download an application for booking an appointment.
Trusting the source, the victim downloaded the app and entered his father's details along with other personal information. The fraudster then asked him to pay Rs 10 online as a token booking amount. However, the trader became suspicious and refrained from making the payment. Soon after, he started receiving multiple messages and OTPs on his phone.
Realising something was amiss, he immediately contacted his bank’s customer care to freeze his savings account. Though the bank claimed to have disabled internet and mobile banking services for security, later that evening he received a message informing him that a new beneficiary had been added to his account. This was followed by debit messages indicating a transfer of Rs 1.22 lakh and Rs 34,500 — totaling Rs 1,56,500 — despite his request to freeze the account.
Following the incident, the victim lodged a complaint with the Dindoshi Police Station against the unidentified cyber fraudster and also named the concerned bank staff in his statement. Police have taken serious cognisance of the complaint and have registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS and IT Act. Further investigation is underway.