Team Goemkarponn
RAIA: A resident of Arlem-Raia, Aleluia Gaonkar, has fallen victim to a phone scam where an individual, impersonating a representative of the Bank of India, cheated him out of Rs 2,54,996. According to Gaonkar’s complaint, the accused contacted him by phone, claiming that his bank account would be blocked unless he updated his Know Your Customer (KYC) details.
Believing the caller to be a legitimate bank official, Gaonkar shared his bank account information and the OTP (One-Time Password) sent to his mobile phone. Using this information, the fraudster managed to withdraw money from Gaonkar’s account in multiple transactions, causing the substantial loss.
Following the complaint, Maina-Curtorim Police registered a case under Section 318(4) and Section 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, as well as Section 66-D of the IT Act, 2000, related to impersonation, cheating, and cybercrime.
Police have launched an investigation to track down the accused and have warned residents to be vigilant about sharing sensitive information over the phone. Authorities advise individuals to verify any such requests directly with their banks to avoid falling prey to similar scams.
