A shocking incident in Barkatpura, Hyderabad, saw a retired bank employee lose a substantial ₹12.99 lakh to a cunning online fraud involving a bogus Punjab National Bank (PNB) life certificate application. The elaborate scam began on October 4 when the unsuspecting victim clicked on a misleading Facebook advertisement that promised an easy online submission process for their PNB life certificate.
After innocently entering his sensitive bank details onto the fake website, the victim was contacted by a scammer masquerading as a PNB representative. This individual, using a convincing WhatsApp profile adorned with the bank’s official logo, then sent a malicious APK (Android Package Kit) file. The fraudster instructed the retired employee to install this file to finalize the life certificate procedure. Trusting the caller, the victim proceeded with the installation, unwittingly granting the criminals access to his accounts.
Tragically, just hours later, at approximately 5:30 p.m. that very evening, the victim discovered a series of alarming debit messages on his phone. In total, ₹12,99,300 had been illicitly drained from his three PNB savings accounts. Following his prompt complaint, the cybercrimes wing of the Hyderabad police swiftly registered a case to investigate this severe financial crime.
In light of this incident, authorities are reiterating crucial warnings to the public. Remember, legitimate banks will *never* ask for your account details or one-time passwords (OTPs) via phone calls or messages. It is vital to be extremely cautious. Should you encounter any suspicious activity, immediately report it to the national helpline 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in. For urgent matters within Cyberabad, the Cyber Crime team can also be reached directly via WhatsApp at 8712665171. Stay safe online!