Pune Cyber Crime: Citizens Lose Over Rs 9 Lakh in Two Separate Incidents

In two alarming cases of cyber fraud reported in Pune, unsuspecting citizens lost over ₹9 lakh to online scammers who posed as service representatives. The victims — a 58-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman — were tricked into giving remote access to their devices, leading to unauthorized transfers from their bank accounts.

Man Loses ₹2 Lakh While Searching for Bank Statement

In the first incident, a 58-year-old resident of Guruprasad Society on Bund Garden Road wanted to check his bank statement and searched for the customer care number of his bank on Google. Unknowingly, he clicked on a fraudulent number listed in the search results. The individual on the other end posed as a bank representative and convinced the victim to download an APK (Android application package) file, claiming it was necessary to access his account statement. Once the file was downloaded, the fraudsters remotely accessed the man’s phone and transferred ₹2 lakh from his bank account without his consent. Upon realizing the loss, the victim approached the Koregaon Park Police Station. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for cheating and under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. Police are analyzing the mobile number used by the scammers and tracing the account where the stolen funds were transferred.

Woman Duped of Over ₹7 Lakh in Gas Bill Scam

In a separate case, a 57-year-old woman from Sarvodaya Society on NIBM Road in Kondhwa fell prey to cyber criminals pretending to be representatives of Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL). The fraudsters contacted her via mobile phone and claimed that her gas connection would be cut off due to an unpaid bill. To verify the claim, they sent her a link and asked her to check her payment status. When she clicked the link, the cyber thieves used the access to siphon off ₹7,04,332 from her bank account between June 30 and July 1, 2024. The woman filed a complaint at the Kondhwa Police Station, where a case has been registered under the Information Technology Act. The cybercrime cell is actively investigating the matter.

Growing Concerns Over Online Scams

Both cases highlight the increasing threat of cyber fraud in the city, where scammers manipulate public trust by impersonating legitimate service providers. Authorities urge citizens to avoid searching for customer care numbers on unverified platforms like Google and instead refer to official websites or apps. Police continue to investigate both incidents and have assured that efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the culprits.