Banks have been warning their customers regularly about phishing activities and they also post advertisements asking their customers not to divulge any detail regarding their bank account on phone to anyone who says that he is a bank official. Still there are cases in which customers disclose their account details and then they are cheated.
A railway official was robbed of Rs.44, 496 from his SBI account on Thursday after he himself told a onetime password (OTP) to a telecaller who portrayed himself as an SBI employee.
Umesh Bhat (50), from Hubballi believes that his bank account details have been compromised as the telecaller also gave him all the details of the complaint that he filed in the Keshwapur branch (Hubballi Main) just recently. Bhat told, “I tried to withdraw Rs 6,000 at a Karnataka Bank ATM on October 3. As the machine did not dispense cash, I submitted a complaint with the SBI’s Keshwapur branch on October 7 and got the acknowledgment, which had the complaint number, the issue and my address besides account, mobile phone and debit card numbers.”
Bhat not only need to pay for his son’s fees who is studying in medical course but he also need to pay for his spinal cord treatment, he has taken a loan also on his PF for this purpose.
Umesh Bhat received a call on October 15, the person who called, told his name as Omprakash Agarwal and he said that he is calling from SBI’s MG road branch, Bengaluru. Bhat told, “He mentioned all the details of my complaint and said he would deposit Rs 6,000 in my account. He, however, wanted me to share with him an OTP I would get. As he knew all the details, I thought he must be an SBI official and shared it with him. Then, I received six SMSes within a minute saying Rs 44,496 had been withdrawn from my account.”
Bhat’s colleague Vijay Kumar used Truecaller app to know whose phone number it is and from where it belongs, it revealed that the number is of Mumbai.
Umesh Bhat is now very tensed as to how he will pay his son’s fee.
Bhat told, “When I approached Keshwapur police station, inspector Ali A Shaikh did not register a complaint but assured us all possible help. He spoke to the SBI’s customer care section and Vodafone’s Karnataka office.”
STOI was told by Inspector Shaikh that money has been taken out for making a purchase at Vodafone bill desk in Mumbai through SBI wallet. He told, “We have contacted the SBI consumer section and Vodafone Karnataka office and waiting for their responses.”
As per Keshwapur police, two OTP frauds have happened in a month, they said”A lady had lost Rs 20,000, but she didn’t lodge a complaint.”
When STOI talked to the branch officials of SBI Kehwapur, they didn’t said anything on the matter. While as per the information that Bhat has got from the branch officials, four OTP frauds have taken place in a month, he said, “A woman officer told me that customers’ details are somehow getting leaked from the bank.”
The Chief Manager (Administration) at SBI Zonal Office, Hubballi, R Ramakrishnan refused of any knowledge of customers details being compromised from the bank, he said, “We have received a complaint from Umesh Bhat and forwarded it to the local head office in Bengaluru. If it is true, then police will have to investigate the case. If any bank staff is found involved, we will initiate action against the official.”
Share this article as much as possible so that none of your friends and relatives fall prey to such fraud calls.
