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HDFC Bank Staff Save Senior Citizen from ₹20L Fraud

HDFC Bank’s Veraval Branch Staff Prevented a Senior Citizen from Being Defrauded of ₹20 Lakh

An alert HDFC Bank staff member from the Veraval branch helped save a senior citizen from being defrauded of ₹20 lakh. The customer was being cheated via the ‘Digital Arrest’ modus operandi.

One of the bank’s elderly customers walked into HDFC Bank’s Veraval branch to execute an RTGS transaction of ₹20 lakh. Since the customer looked anxious, the branch staff felt something might be amiss. He found an unusual payment pattern and enquired about the purpose of such a large transaction. On further enquiring, the customer mentioned receiving a video call. The branch staff suspected it to be a case of cyber fraud (digital arrest). The branch staff spoke to the customer, sensitised him about the modus operandi of such frauds, and assisted the customer in blocking the numbers.

The fraudsters tried to dupe the customer by posing as police officers. They said that his account was being used for money laundering, and the case was being investigated further. The fraudsters then asked the customer to transfer the money and informed him that it would be returned if he was proven innocent. The fraudsters were dressed as police officers during the video call and displayed a fabricated arrest warrant.

What is Digital Arrest

In a digital arrest scam, fraudsters target individuals or businesses, posing as law enforcement or government officials. Victims are threatened with a digital arrest warrant for alleged tax evasion, regulatory violations or financial misconduct. The fraudsters ask for payment in the form of a ‘settlement fee’ or ‘penalty’ to withdraw the digital arrest warrant. Once the payment is made, the fraudsters disappear, leaving no trace of their identity. The victims are left with a monetary loss and sometimes identity theft, due to the personal details shared with the fraudsters.

Tips to Protect Yourself From Digital Arrest Fraud

Real government officials or law enforcement agencies will never ask for payment or banking details.
Scammers often create a sense of urgency to make victims act quickly without thinking.
Do not share sensitive information such as KYC details, bank details like user ID, password, card details, CVV, OTPs or PIN number, with anyone.
An officer’s identity should be verified by independently contacting government officials or a law enforcement agency.
Look for errors in documents and avoid clicking on suspicious links.

Report such suspected fraudulent communication on the Department of Telecommunications’ Chakshu Portal – www.sancharsaathi.gov.in immediately.

In the event of falling prey to online fraud, the victim should immediately report the unauthorised transactions to the bank to get the payment channel blocked, i.e., cards/UPI/net banking to safeguard against future losses. Customers should also file a complaint by calling the 1930 helpline number started by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), as well as submit a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal https://www.cybercrime.gov.in