A shocking case of cyber fraud has emerged from Lucknow, where a man was duped of ₹10.5 lakh under the pretext of activating internet banking. The scammers tricked him into sharing his banking details through a malicious link. The police are now investigating the matter. This is a serious reminder to avoid clicking on any suspicious or unknown links.
Santosh Kumar Dwivedi, a resident of Shalimar Grand Apartments on Jopling Road, Hazratganj, has a PNB bank account. He reported receiving a WhatsApp call on the morning of July 14. The caller claimed to help him activate internet banking and asked him to give a missed call on a mobile number that had a PNB logo as its WhatsApp display picture—making it appear legitimate.
At 10:30 AM, Santosh gave a missed call to the provided number.
Around 4 PM, he received another call from the same fraudster who sent him a link via WhatsApp.
He was asked to fill in all required banking and debit card details through that link.
The scammer assured him that his internet banking would be activated within 24 hours.
Soon after, ₹10.5 lakh was withdrawn from his account in four transactions.
Realizing he was duped, Santosh immediately blocked the number and filed a complaint on the Cyber Crime Portal. A formal complaint has also been registered at the cyber crime police station. The investigation is ongoing.
✅ Avoid Clicking Unknown Links
Never click on links received via WhatsApp, SMS, email, or social media unless you are absolutely sure of their authenticity—even if they appear to come from a known contact.
✅ Verify the URL
Before clicking, hover your cursor over the link to check its destination. Look for misspellings or odd characters—these are signs of fake websites.
✅ Look for Secure Connections
Always ensure that websites where you enter sensitive information start with “https://” and have a padlock icon in the URL bar.
✅ Use Antivirus and Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Install reliable antivirus software and turn on 2FA wherever possible to add an extra layer of protection.
Banks never ask for personal information such as your account number, debit/credit card number, OTP, PIN, password, or Aadhaar details over phone calls, SMS, or emails.
Scammers are also misusing the names of government schemes like PM Kisan and fake e-challan links. Always verify such information on official websites like https://parivahan.gov.in and never make payments through unofficial links.
Call the Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930
File a complaint online at: https://cybercrime.gov.in
Inform your bank immediately to freeze your account and stop further transactions.
Stay alert and protect your hard-earned money from cyber criminals.
