₹1 crore gone in credit card fraud run by bank insiders—don't be the next target
Police have busted a racket led by Nafisa Ali, a former bank employee, who, along with a few accomplices, is suspected of siphoning off nearly ₹ 1 crore from unsuspecting customers, reported TOI.
Their strategy? Brutally simple and disturbingly effective.
The group has been making phone calls to bank clients while posing as legitimate representatives for the last six months. They sounded completely credible because they had real client information, and the insider knowledge of bank processes to sound very genuine. Victims were convinced to provide credit card information. That was all it took, and sometimes within minutes, the gang used this information to hit the credit limit, and make illegitimate transactions.
After the fraud was detected, the bank started looking through call logs and transaction patterns, which eventually helped connect them to the person who committed the fraud. As it turns out, this was not some random phishing scam. This was a well planned effort by someone who knew the system.
So what does this mean for the rest of us?
1. No real bank asks for OTP, CVV, or PIN over the phone: If someone does, even if they sound polite and convincing—hang up. Then call your bank using the official number on your credit card or their website.
2. Fraudsters rely on urgency: Common red flags might include 'Your card will be blocked' or somewhere else, "Congrats, you've won some cashback, just confirm your OTP". Banks don't pressure or intimidate you into giving them information.
3. Check your SMS and email alerts religiously: Do you have a transaction alert that you don't recognize? Don't ignore it and report it immediately. An insignificant, unrecognizable alert could be the start of something significant.
4. Use credit cards with low limits for online purchases: Many banks allow you to create a new virtual or secondary card with a set limit, and in doing so, any unauthorized access would have limited upset.
5. Keep your mobile device locked and secure: Do not store card information on public computers, use antivirus software, and avoid potentially shady apps. A lot of scams start with hacked phones.
6. Report scams fast—speed matters: After you contact the bank's fraud helpline, report the scam through the Cybercrime portal. The longer you wait increases your chances of losing money.
This scam hit people who never imagined they'd fall for one because it didn't look like a scam. It looked like their bank calling. Trust is what made the fraud work. And awareness is what will stop the next one. Stay alert. Stay sceptical. And remember when it comes to money, caution isn't paranoia. It's protection.
For all personal finance updates, visit here.
Disclaimer: Mint has a tie-up with fin-techs for providing credit, you will need to share your information if you apply. These tie-ups do not influence our editorial content. This article only intends to educate and spread awareness about credit needs like loans, credit cards and credit score. Mint does not promote or encourage taking credit as it comes with a set of risks such as high interest rates, hidden charges, etc. We advise investors to discuss with certified experts before taking any credit.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Terrorist who led Pahalgam attack killed in J&K gunfight
Terrorist who led Pahalgam attack killed in J&K gunfight NEW DELHI : Over three months after Pakistani terrorists gunned down 26 civilians, including 25 tourists, at Pahalgam, the Army's para commandos have killed Suleiman, believed to be the lead killer of the gang, in Dachigam forest area on the outskirts of Srinagar. Two other terrorists were also killed in a joint operation involving the Army, CRPF and JK police, though there was no clarity yet on their involvement in the Pahalgam massacre. All the three terrorists killed on Monday in 'Operation Mahadev' were Pakistani nationals and linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and its offshoot The Resistance Front, as per sources. A source indicated that the two terrorists killed with Suleiman could be Abu Hamza and Yasir, but officials would run more checks before confirming their identity. There was no official statement on Operation Mahadev. However, sources told TOI that Pahalgam has been avenged with the killing of Suleiman - a former Pakistani special forces commando who had trained at LeT Muridke hub in Pakistan's Punjab province before crossing the LoC in 2022 to enter Jammu region with his M-4 weapon - in the operation. Pak squad behind Pahalgam killings, ISI-LeT plotted it A manhunt for the three-member Pahalgam attack squad that included Suleiman has been on since the day they rounded up tourists and killed them in front of their horror-struck families at Pahalgam. Sources said latest technical intelligence - based on tracking of activity on the encrypted Chinese app Ultra - had found three Pakistani terrorists hiding in Mahadev hill - from which Operation Mahadev got its name - in Dachigam. Suleiman had been on the move after the Pahalgam attack, traversing the forest dotting the Tral-Kulgam-Pahalgam tri-junction. Recoveries from the terrorists' hideout included an M4 carbine, two AK rifles and grenades. As per the standard procedure, the neutralised terrorists will be laid to rest in unmarked graves in a designated burial ground. As exclusively reported by TOI on July 15, the Pahalgam attack resulted from a closely guarded conspiracy hatched by Pakistan spy agency ISI and LeT on the directions of the country's political and military brass. It was executed by Pakistani terrorists. In what sources described as an LeT-ISI joint project akin to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, ISI gave specific directives to Pakistan-based Lashkar commander Sajid Jutt to deploy only foreign terrorists for the targeted killings at Pahalgam. To ensure secrecy, no Kashmiri terrorists were included in the attack squad; local involvement for logistics too was 'minimal' and on a "need-to-know" basis. Satellite phone analysis revealed Suleiman's location in Tral forest on April 15, indicating he was in the vicinity of Baisaran for almost a week before the attack. Suleiman was also involved in the April 2023 attack on an Army truck in Poonch, in which five soldiers were killed. However, he laid low for two years after the incident. Even though the J&K Police had earlier suspected the role of Pakistani terrorists Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai in the Pahalgam massacre, the probe so far has only confirmed Suleiman's involvement. This Suleiman is different from Hashim Musa, whose nom de guerre is Sulaiman. "No local terrorist had participated in the Pahalgam attack, nor was in the loop on the terror plot," a senior official told TOI. Even the role of the two locals arrested by NIA was limited to providing the armed Pakistani terrorists food, shelter and other logistics, for a few thousand rupees.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Drone sighting rumours spread to NCR villages, police field panic calls
Ghaziabad: After western UP and Uttarakhand, rumours about suspicious low-flying objects appear to have gripped several NCR villages. Over the last five days, the police control room in the city has received 47 calls reporting 'drone sightings', all from rural pockets in Bhojpur, Muradnagar, Niwari, Loni and Kotwali and 29 of them in the last 24 hours. The sightings have been followed by villagers standing patrol with sticks as rumours swirl. Locals believe gangs are using drones to spy on their houses and rob them. Reports of 'drone sightings' in other districts have been spreading through social media posts, some of which are accompanied by videos of drones. But their authenticity is questionable. According to police, the maximum number of calls (9) came from Bhojpur, which is close to Meerut, followed by three from Muradnagar and one from Kotwali. Police said most callers claimed to have seen drones hovering near rooftops late in the night. "All the calls were verified by local police units, but no drone was recovered or visually confirmed so far," DCP (rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari said. You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida One such caller, Md Aamir, a resident of Bhojpur, claimed to have seen two drones on Sunday night. "Around midnight, some locals raised an alarm after spotting a drone. I saw it near my neighbour's terrace, hovering close to a window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Enjoy 100% Pure New Zealand and fly Air New Zealand airnewzealand Undo We threw stones at it, and it flew away. Five minutes later, another drone appeared. This is when we called the police. But it escaped as children started pelting stones," he said. In Muradnagar, Veerendra Kumar spoke of a similar incident. "I was inside the room while my wife and children were sleeping on the terrace. Suddenly, they shouted 'drone, drone'. When I came out, I saw it above our terrace," he told TOI. "I called my brother and neighbours. We saw the drone fly toward the forest and disappear." A police team visited the spot but couldn't find any drone. Kumar told cops that on June 29 night, when he was admitted to a hospital for surgery and his children stayed at his brother's house next door, Rs 25,000 in cash and valuables were stolen from his home. In Masuri, villagers, including pradhan Tassawar Ali of Nahal village, claimed to have seen drones hovering overhead for the past five nights. A local team has been formed to patrol the village, and complaints have been lodged with the Masuri police. The DCP told TOI that some locals have submitted videos that are being sent to forensic labs for analysis. "We've intensified patrolling in these villages. Special police teams were deployed from 11pm to 3am on Sunday, too, but nothing unusual was found," he said. Police have urged people not to rely on unverified social media claims and report any suspicious activity for investigation. Reiterating that no concrete evidence had emerged to confirm drone sightings in Ghaziabad, Additional CP Alok Priyadarshi told TOI that restrictions under Section 163 of BNSS, prohibiting drones, UAVs, hot-air balloons and paragliders were imposed in Ghaziabad during Operation Sindoor in May and continue to remain in force. Under it, nine police station areas, including Kotwali, Kavi Nagar, Link Road, Sahibabad, Vijay Nagar, Tronica City, Loni, Modinagar and Muradnagar, were declared no-fly zones due to their proximity to the Hindon IAF base.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Film producer arrested in Erandwane for providing mule account to facilitate online share-trading fraud
1 2 Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad cyber police on Sunday arrested a 34-year-old film producer from Erandwane in connection with an online share-trading fraud, in which a software engineer had lost Rs57.7 lakh to cybercrooks between Feb and May this year. Police investigations revealed that the accused, Shivam Sanvatsarkar, gave his bank account to a China-based handler to use as a mule bank account for some commission. The Pimpri Chinchwad cyber police team, led by senior police inspector Ravikiran Nale, took Sanvatsarkar into custody with the help of the Deccan Gymkhana police. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune In this case, the software engineer came in contact with the crooks through a video-sharing app earlier this year. They promised him good returns on his investments in stocks through them and made him download an app to monitor his profits. The techie invested Rs57.70 lakh and could see in the app that he had purportedly earned a profit of Rs5.15 crore. When he tried to withdraw his money, the crooks demanded an additional amount to clear the funds, making him suspicious. He then approached the Pimpri Chinchwad cyber police and lodged a complaint. Assistant police inspector Pravin Swami of the Pimpri Chinchwad cyber police told TOI that during investigations, it was found that some amount stolen in the fraud was transferred to a firm's bank account in Pune. "Police sub-inspector Sagar Poman and team traced the account holder, Sanvatsarkar, to Erandwane and took him into custody," said Swami. The officer said Sanvatsarkar has produced a few Marathi films. Initially, he denied his involvement in any fraud. "During sustained questioning, he admitted to providing his bank account to a crook from China. Sanvatsarkar got this idea from his friend, who earned a commission by giving his bank account as a mule account," said Swami. The accused came in contact with his handler from China through a social media platform. "He was preparing to give two more mule bank accounts to his handler. We took him into custody before he could do this," the API said.
