In several cyber fraud cases, victims have reported that money was withdrawn from their accounts even after they had lodged complaints with the concerned banks.
While some bank officials, fully aware of the Reserve Bank of India’s guidelines on customer liability, attempt to shift responsibility, others end up misleading victims, at times even advising them to change their registered mobile numbers, instead of taking immediate remedial action.
Recently, a journalist from Besant Nagar was defrauded of ₹1.99 lakh from her bank account, even while she was present on the branch premises. The incident occurred on October 9, when she was attempting to access the Positive Pay System (PPS) option through online banking. Unable to locate the feature, she called up the bank using the customer care number available on Google. The person who answered the call claimed to be the bank manager, introduced himself as Anup Kumar, and instructed her to download a mobile application to resolve the issue.
He spoke in a mix of English and Hindi, and she followed his directions. However, when his instructions became confusing, she told him she would visit the branch directly. Despite the caller’s attempt to dissuade her, she proceeded to the branch, only to learn that no such employee existed.
