Two pensioners in Pune have allegedly lost a combined Rs 20.92 lakh in separate cyber frauds involving fake life-certificate and National Pension Scheme assistance, prompting police to warn citizens against unverified links, screen-sharing requests and the disclosure of banking credentials.
In the first case, an 83-year-old retired businessman from Dhayari, Ashok Shantaram Deshmukh, reported losing Rs 10.43 lakh between 6.30 pm and 8 pm on October 6. According to his complaint, he responded to a Facebook advertisement titled ‘BOI Life Certificate Update for All Pensioners’ while attempting to update his life certificate.
The fraudsters allegedly directed Deshmukh to fill out a form to upload the certificate and subsequently gained access to his mobile phone and banking details. The money was allegedly transferred from his Bank of India accounts through two Real Time Gross Settlement transactions and 13 Unified Payments Interface transactions. The accounts are held at the bank’s Navi Peth and Sinhagad Road branches.
Nanded City police have registered a case against unidentified mobile phone users, bank account holders and people who allegedly held or operated the accounts into which the money was transferred. The case was transferred from the Cyber Police Station. Senior Police Inspector Atul Bhos said the investigation was under way.
Police have registered the case under Sections 318(4), 336(3), 340(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Sections 43, 66, 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act. Investigators are examining the money trail, the recipient bank accounts and the identities of those allegedly involved.
In the second case, a 59-year-old retired principal from Baner, Sneha Ravi Lalla, reported losing Rs 10.49 lakh after an unidentified person allegedly offered help with depositing money into the National Pension Scheme. The accused allegedly sent a link to her mobile phone, claimed to assist her in obtaining pension-scheme benefits and asked her to share her mobile screen.
According to the complaint, the fraudster also sought her debit card details and PIN. The accused allegedly transferred Rs 5 lakh from her NKGSB Bank account and Rs 5.49 lakh from her Canara Bank account through online transactions. Baner Police Station Senior Police Inspector Chandrashekhar Sawant said officers were investigating the mobile number used to contact the complainant and the transactions through which the money was transferred.
The recipient accounts and the identity of the accused in the second case were still being verified, according to the report. In both matters, the police investigation will determine how the alleged transfers were executed and identify the people connected to the communications and accounts.
Police said pensioners should verify instructions relating to life certificates through official bank channels and government portals. They advised citizens not to click on unverified links, share banking credentials or one-time passwords, or provide screen access to unknown callers or online contacts.
