From home to bank, digital arrest goes a long way, foiled in nick of time
The conmen were trying to trap the elderly man in their web by claiming that his mobile phone number had been used for illegal purposes and asked him to deposit ₹90 lakh in different accounts.
letters@hindustantimes.com
The notion of digital arrest conjures the image of an unsuspecting victim confined to a physical space, usually their residence, and being made to dance to the tunes of cyber thugs who end up laughing all the way to the bank. But like all crimes, digital arrest seems to be evolving with alarming implications, transcending the domestic walls. This was evident when a senior citizen in Lucknow went all the way from his home to a bank while being under the control and command of cyber conmen via video call.
But it was a stitch in time, or more precisely a fortuitous enquiry, that alerted State Bank of India staff who came to the rescue of the senior citizen and saved his ₹90 lakh deposits from being spirited away by the cyber thugs.
The conmen were trying to trap the elderly man in their web by claiming that his mobile phone number had been used for illegal purposes and asked him to deposit ₹90 lakh in different accounts if he wanted to wriggle out of legal complications.
Luckily, the SBI employees grew suspicious when the worried elderly customer was seen asking how he could do RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) of ₹40 lakh during his visit to a Lucknow branch of the bank.
What raised the bank staff’s suspicions even more was the fact that the customer – a retired government servant and resident of Aashiana -- was continuously on video call while asking about the process to do RTGS by issuing a loose cheque or using a debit voucher, a senior SBI official confirmed.
The SBI official said the elderly man first approached the branch staff stating that he did not bring a cheque book and wanted to send ₹10 lakh through RTGS. All the while, he was getting directions from a caller.
The branch officials took him to the branch manager as they suspected this was an instance of digital arrest.
The official said the manager spoke to the customer and tried to find out the real reason for transferring the money. Despite the question, the customer was not giving any more information but was constantly on the video call.
“After some time, the customer said that he would now like to pay ₹40 lakh through RTGS instead of ₹10 lakh. Noticing the customer’s suspicious behaviour, the branch manager expressed his inability to do RTGS without cheque and asked him (the customer) to bring the cheque book with him. Immediately, the branch received a call from the customer’s son, asking that all the accounts of my father be frozen as his father had received a call from a fraudster who introduced himself as the DCP of New Delhi. The fraudster stated that the elderly man’s mobile phone number had been used for illegal purposes and asked him to deposit ₹90 lakh in different accounts to favour him in the investigation,” said the SBI official.
“Eventually, the branch staff, with their prudence, alertness, and proactive approach, saved the customer from being a victim of cyber fraud and thwarted the attempt to cheat ₹90 lakh by digital arrest,” the SBI official added.
