Bengaluru: An 80-year-old resident of Brahmavar in Udupi district was allegedly defrauded of Rs 3.28 lakh in an online scam by a person posing as a bank official.
As per his complaint with the Brahmavar police, he wanted to withdraw Rs 5 lakh from his Canara Bank savings account. To inform the branch manager in advance, he searched for the bank’s contact number on Google. He found a number listed as the manager’s and called it. However, the person on the other end, a fraudster, disconnected the call, The Hindu reported.
Later on, the fraudster made a video and voice call to the senior citizen, speaking in Hindi. He sent a link and instructed the victim to click on it to update Google Pay settings, claiming that this would notify the bank of his cash withdrawal request. Believing it to be an official process, the victim clicked the link, and Rs 3.28 lakh was withdrawn from his account.
The Brahmavar police have registered a case under Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act and have initiated an investigation into the matter, as per Business Standards reports.
This isn’t the first time people have lost money while searching for contact numbers online.
Recently, Instagram user Shreya Mitra shared her experience of being scammed while booking a hotel.
Planning a trip to Puri, she searched for hotels online and called the first listed number for Mayfair Heritage Puri. The caller, a fraudster, asked her to make an advance UPI payment of ₹93,000. When she requested an email invoice, they refused, making her realize she had been scammed.
The scammer precaution
Bankbazaar.com chief executive officer, Adhil Shetty stated that “Staying vigilant is key to protecting yourself from online scams. As highlighted by recent incidents, fraudsters are exploiting search engines to list fake contact numbers, posing as bank officials or service providers to deceive.”
“To safeguard your finances and personal information, always verify contact details from official websites or trusted sources. Avoid clicking on suspicious links sent via messages, as they can compromise your banking apps and sensitive data. If someone claims to be a bank representative, confirm their identity by contacting the bank’s official helpline or visiting the branch directly,” he added as per reports.
However, People often rely on internet searches for contact details of banks, hotels, and services, but scammers are exploiting this by listing fake numbers under trusted names. When victims call, fraudsters trick them into making payments or clicking malicious links to access their devices. To stay safe, from such scams:
• Verify contact numbers from official bank or hotel websites, not search results.
• Avoid clicking on links from unknown sources to protect your banking details.
• Confirm a bank official’s identity via the official helpline or branch visit before sharing information.
• Be cautious of video calls from unknown numbers, especially those claiming to be from banks.
