Pune News : Cyber Police Probe Rs 101.5 Lakh Online Heists: Businessman, Retired Colonel Hacked”

In two separate incidents under investigation by Pune’s cyber crime police station, a businessman and a retired colonel, both residing in Pune, found themselves victims of online heists, losing substantial sums of money to cybercriminals who had unauthorized access to their bank accounts. The culprits executed multiple transactions to withdraw Rs 95 lakh and Rs 6.5 lakh, respectively.

Two distinct First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed at the cyber crime police station during the past week. The 45-year-old businessman, engaged in the trade of electrical and home appliances, incurred a staggering loss of Rs 95 lakh across 157 unauthorized transactions. In a second FIR, a 72-year-old retired Army colonel, who faced deception over 23 transactions, lodged a complaint.

The businessman’s grievance stated that beginning September 17, he encountered difficulties while conducting online transactions from his bank accounts. On October 1, upon reviewing one of his accounts, he discovered a balance of only Rs 500, instead of the expected Rs 17 to 18 lakh. Subsequently, after contacting the two banks associated with his three accounts, it was revealed that between September 17 and October 1, fraudulent transactions amounting to Rs 95.8 lakh had transpired.

In the retired colonel’s case, he experienced a loss of Rs 6.5 lakh between July 3 and July 17. A senior officer from the cyber crime unit initiated an investigation into both incidents, which seemingly revolved around bank account hacking. Notably, the retired officer had not received any transaction alerts on the phone number linked to his jointly held bank account.

Authorities clarified that victims of bank account hacking often cease to receive notifications of fraudulent transactions because hackers gain unauthorized access to accounts and alter the account holder’s contact information, including registered phone numbers and email addresses. In some instances, cybercriminals employ sophisticated methods to bypass or delay notifications to avoid detection, manipulating or intercepting messages sent by the bank.

To prevent online financial fraud, officials recommended adhering to basic cyber hygiene practices: refraining from clicking on unknown links, downloading attachments from unfamiliar sources, or installing applications from unverified platforms. Additionally, individuals should avoid disclosing sensitive personal information on unsecured web pages or to unauthorized callers and report suspicious calls to the police promptly.

In cases of fraud realization, authorities advised contacting the local cyber crime cell or reaching out to state-level or national cyber crime helplines or portals. Acting swiftly, especially within the critical “golden hours” of 24 hours, allows authorities to engage with banks to freeze fraudulent accounts and take necessary actions.