HDFC Bank’s Branch Manager Prevents Senior Citizen From Being Defrauded of ₹ 1.35 Crore

Bengaluru, January 06, 2025: An alert HDFC Bank branch manager from Kankanady branch, Mangalore helped save a senior citizen from being defrauded of ₹ 1.35 crore through the ‘digital arrest’ fraud.

One of the Bank’s elderly customers walked into HDFC Bank’s Kankanady branch with FD receipts worth ₹ 1.35 crore and insisted that the branch manager liquidate the deposit immediately. Since the customer looked anxious, the branch manager felt something might be amiss. Observing that the customer was active on a call with someone who was frequently taking updates on the progress of payment, the branch manager suspected that it may be a case of cyber fraud (digital arrest). The branch manager spoke to the customer, sensitised her about the modus operandi of such frauds and then called the City Crime Branch, Mangalore. The police assisted the customer in blocking the numbers and reporting the case.

The fraudsters tried to dupe the customer by posing as police officers. They mentioned that during an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid, they found 300-400 Debit Cards out of which one card belonged to the customer. They further said that her account was being used for money laundering and the case was being investigated further. The fraudsters then asked that the customer to send the money to an account, claiming that that was a RBI account. She was also informed that the money would be returned with interest if she was proved innocent. The fraudsters were dressed as police officers during the video call and displayed a fabricated arrest warrant.

What is Digital Arrest

In a digital arrest scam, fraudsters target individuals or businesses, posing as law enforcement or government officials. Victims are threatened with a digital arrest warrant for alleged tax evasion, regulatory violations or financial misconduct. The fraudsters ask for payment in the form of ‘settlement fee’ or ‘penalty’ to withdraw the digital arrest warrant. Once the payment is made, the fraudsters disappear, leaving no trace of their identity. The victims are left with a monetary loss and sometimes an identity theft, due to the personal details shared with the fraudsters.

Tips to protect yourself from Digital Arrest Fraud

Real government officials or law enforcement agency will never ask for payment or banking details.
Scammers often create a sense of urgency to make victims act quickly without thinking.
Do not share sensitive information such as KYC details, bank details like - user ID password, card details, CVV, OTPs or PIN number, with anyone.

An officer's identity should be verified by independently contacting government officials or a law enforcement agency.

Look for errors in documents and avoid clicking on suspicious links.
Report such suspected fraudulent communication on Department of Telecommunication's Chakshu Portal - www.sancharsaathi.gov.in immediately.

In the event of a falling prey to an online fraud the victim should immediately report the unauthorised transactions to the Bank in order to get the payment channel blocked, i.e., cards/UPI/net banking to safeguard against future losses. Customers should also file a complaint by calling 1930 helpline number started by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as well as submit a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal https://www.cybercrime.gov.in

User :- Lakshman Babu

Email :-babu.lakshman@gmail.com