Cyber fraud cases are rising at an alarming rate. Daily, we hear some or the other person falling prey to cyber frauds. But now cyber fraudsters have become so courageous that they tried to loot money from the bank account of a minister in Himachal Pradesh’s capital – Shimla. In a recent and serious incident, cybercriminals attempted to withdraw ₹7.85 lakh from the bank account of Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh by pretending to be government employees. Fortunately, the attempt failed due to the presence of mind and vigilance of the bank officials. Bank Officials acted quickly and saved lacs of rupees.
What Happened: How Fraud was Planned?
The incident took place at the UCO Bank Vidhan Sabha branch in Shimla. According to Priya Chhabra, the branch manager, the bank received a suspicious phone call. The person on the other end introduced himself as an employee of the State Secretariat. He asked for the account details of Minister Vikramaditya Singh and requested an immediate RTGS (Real-Time Gross Settlement) transfer of ₹7.85 lakh from the minister’s account, citing it as urgent official work.
The call seemed to be genuine at first, but the bank manager was cautious. Instead of processing the transfer right away, she decided to verify the request. She quickly contacted the personal secretary of the minister, who clearly stated that no such instructions had been issued from their office. Realizing it was a fraud attempt, the bank immediately stopped the transaction and informed the Baluganj police station about the incident.
What Action Has Been Taken?
Based on the complaint, police have registered a case against an unknown person under Section 319(2) and Section 62 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — these are laws under the new Indian Justice Code that deal with fraud and impersonation. The police are now investigating the phone number from which the call was made. They are also checking call records and other technical details to trace the identity of the fraudster.
Cyber Frauds
Cybersecurity experts have warned that such incidents are becoming increasingly common. Fraudsters are using sophisticated tricks to fool even educated and alert individuals. The fraudsters use some of the following tactics to loot the innocent public:
- Impersonating bank officials or government employees.
- Calling people and scaring them by saying their bank accounts will be blocked or closed.
- Sending fake links through SMS or email that, when clicked, give them access to the user’s phone or bank details.
- Asking for OTPs or confidential information like account numbers, PINs, etc.
Once the user clicks on the link or shares information, the fraudster gains full control of their bank account and can easily withdraw all the money.
What Should the Public Do?
The Government authorities are trying to create a lot of awareness regarding cyber frauds. People lose their hard-earned money in just a few minutes. You are advised to follow following tips and stay safe from cyber fraud:
- Never share personal or banking information over phone calls or messages.
- Do not trust calls claiming to be from banks or government offices without verifying them through official sources.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links sent via SMS, WhatsApp, or email.
- Report any suspicious activity to your bank and the local police immediately.
