ATM Fraud in Pune, Man lost Rs 1.24 lakh in SBI ATM in Pune
In Pune, yet another case of ATM fraud has come to light where a 47-year-old man from Pimpri Chinchwad lost over ₹1.24 lakh after calling a fake helpline number displayed inside an ATM booth. The incident took place on April 15 when the man visited a State Bank of India (SBI) ATM at Nakhate Vasti around 8:45 PM to withdraw money.
His debit card got stuck in the machine, and looking for help, he called the helpline number displayed at the kiosk. The person who answered the call pretended to be a bank representative and asked the man to enter his ATM PIN and share his bank account details. Soon after, a total of ₹1,24,500 was withdrawn from his account through multiple online transactions.
When the bank failed to respond to his complaint, the victim approached the Kalewadi police station, where a case was registered. According to the investigating officer, Sachin Shirke, the money was transferred to fraudulent accounts without the man’s knowledge or permission.
This incident is not isolated. Similar cases have been reported in other parts of Pune. At an SBI ATM in Wadgaon Dhayari, two women were tricked in the same way. One of them visited the ATM near Sai Puram Society around 10:20 PM on April 18. After her card got stuck, she called a helpline number displayed inside the kiosk.
The man on the call claimed he couldn’t come due to the Good Friday holiday but instructed her to enter her PIN and provide her bank details. Shortly after, ₹50,000 was deducted from her account. Another woman lost ₹40,000 at the same ATM in a similar manner.
Police suspect that fraudsters have tampered with these ATMs by placing fake helpline numbers to trick unsuspecting users. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Section 318(4)) and the Information Technology (IT) Act. The police have begun an investigation to trace and arrest those responsible. Authorities have urged banks to ensure that only official helpline numbers are displayed inside ATM kiosks.
They also advised the public to be cautious—never to share bank account details or ATM PINs with anyone, even if they claim to be bank staff, and to contact official bank helplines only through trusted sources like the bank’s website or the back of the debit card. These incidents serve as a warning to stay alert while using ATMs, especially in situations where your card is stuck or something seems unusual.
