After Believing A Fake Message, 40 Bank Clients Lost Lakhs Of Dollars In Just Three Days

“Dear customer, your bank account will be suspended today. Update your KYC/ PAN now to avoid deactivation. Click on the link below to update”. Did you lately receive any SMS that was similar? If so, notify the SMS and avoid clicking the link. Although these phishing scams are not brand-new, there has lately been an unusual increase in these viral bank phishing SMS. These SMSs were even flagged and reported by numerous bank customers, and they even posted about them online to spread knowledge. Nevertheless, despite all the knowledge and caution, scammers recently defrauded 40 people in Mumbai out of lakhs of rupees.

According to reports, 40 bank customers of a private bank in Mumbai lost lakhs of rupees in just three days after clicking a link contained in a phony bank SMS that was sent to them. Their bank account would be blocked if they did not update their KYC and PAN, according to the SMS warning. Many bank customers even fell for it, mistaking it for a formal notification form, and losing their money.

According to the story, TV actress Shweta Menon was one of the 40 bank customers who fell prey to this phishing bank SMS fraud. She reportedly lost more than Rs 50,000 after clicking the link. Memon claimed in her complaint that she had received an SMS requesting her to update her PAN and KYC information. So, believing the fraudulent SMS to be from her bank, she tapped on it to halt the closure of her bank account.

The website she was taken to by the link then requested that she input her customer ID, passwords, and OTP. She also got a call from a woman identifying herself as a bank representative who asked her to input the OTP she had received on her mobile phone in addition to the SMS. Menon inputted her information and OTP as directed, which caused a debit of Rs 57,636 from her account.

Menon and the other victims reported the incident to the cyber squad after realizing the fraud. The incident was reported, and Mumbai Police even published an advisory warning people not to rely on any arbitrary links requesting private information.

While people are conscious of all the ways to prevent cyber fraud, it is still alarming how simple it is for con artists to con them and steal their money. The phishing SMSes have been carefully crafted to appear authentic, leaving no room for suspicion. Additionally, after becoming imprisoned, they lose their hard-earned money.

News Mania Desk