A retired bank officer from Rahatani, Pune, was cheated out of nearly ₹1 lakh by cyber fraudsters pretending to be officials from Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL). The incident took place on March 13, 2025, and was later reported to Kalewadi Police on April 16.
How the Fraud Happened
The victim received a phone call from a person claiming to be an MNGL representative. The caller told him that his gas bill payment had not been received and that he needed to clear the dues immediately to avoid disconnection. The scammer then sent the victim a link to “make the payment online.”
Trusting the caller, the retired officer clicked the link and entered his credit card details. A few minutes later, he realized something was wrong. He noticed that:
- ₹17,000 had been taken from his bank account
- Purchases worth ₹82,000 were made using his credit card
The fraudsters reportedly used his credit card details to buy two gift vouchers, which were later used at a petrol pump.
Immediate Action Taken
As soon as he realized he was scammed, the victim reported the incident on a cybercrime complaint portal. Following a preliminary inquiry, the case was officially registered with the Kalewadi police.
Police Investigation Underway
A Kalewadi police officer confirmed the details of the incident and said that the total amount lost in the fraud was around ₹99,000. The police are investigating the case and trying to trace the fraudsters who used the fake MNGL identity to trap the victim.
