ROURKELA: With the Government aggressively pushing for digital transaction without adequate security safeguards, gullible users of online payment methods have been made sitting ducks. In the latest case of Internet banking fraud, `11.69 lakhs were siphoned of from the Cash Credit (CC) account of a Rourkela-based businessman. Incidentally, the modus operandi of the fraudsters has also exposed the security chinks in the mandatory linking of mobile phone and UIDAI (Aadhaar) numbers to bank accounts.
Shambhulal Chanduka, proprietor of Hindustan Trade Syndicate, on July 12 lodged a complaint with Uditnagar police here alleging involvement of some insiders of BSNL and the Indian Bank in the fraud.
Chanduka's son Sumit said the firm's CC, current and saving accounts in the Indian Bank have common user IDs and log-in passwords while his BSNL mobile number is linked to receive transaction details and One Time Password (OTP).
He said from 5 pm on July 11, his mobile phone went out of service. Suspecting a problem with the BSNL SIM, he replaced the old card with a new one bearing the same number. The SIM card got reactivated at about 12.30 pm on July 12. Once the phone was activated, he found suspicious transactions. On further inquiry with the bank, it was revealed that `11.69 lakhs were cleaned up from the CC account fraudulently through 11 transactions when the phone was out of service.
Sumit said `3.5 lakh was also withdrawn from the current account due to some faulty transaction, but it was debited later. ''Police informed us that someone in Balasore district had fraudulently got a new BSNL SIM card bearing my number to receive the banking details and OTP and committed the fraud,'' he said. Sumit further said with the bank accounts not in operation, they are facing immense difficulties in their business. Members of Rourkela Distributors' Association said the incident has triggered panic among the trader community. The attention of the Union IT and Telecom Ministry would be drawn to ensure adequate safeguard, they said.
Uditnagar IIC PK Das said investigation into the matter is underway. Sources informed that over 60 cases of digital transaction fraud are pending in Rourkela police district. On June 26, Rourkela police had arrested an ATM fraudster for stealing money by tampering keyboards at unmanned ATM outlets of SBI.
In a series of frauds in May, anonymous callers faking as bank officials received UIDAI numbers and OTPs from gullible customers and siphoned of money from six bank accounts. Rourkela SP Uma Shankar Mishra informed that a Cyber police station would be set up soon and capacity of existing police officers in cyber crimes would be strengthened.
Two brothers arrested for cheating online
Sambalpur: Police arrested two brothers on Monday for fraudulently transferring about Rs 1 lakh to the Paytm wallet of their associate from bank accounts of a couple residing in the city. Police have seized a mobile phone besides a SIM card used in the crime by the siblings. The duo was identified as Pradeep Mandal (23) and his younger brother Pradum Mandal (20) of Rampur village within Karmatar police limits in Jamtara district of Jharkhand. Their associate Dukhi Mandal of Barakolla in Deoghar district of Jharkhand is at large.
The siblings had transferred money from the accounts of Kamalini Pujari and her husband Byomkesh Pujari of Samalei Vihar in Panchgacchia area on April 7. Sambalpur SP Sanjeev Arora informed that the duo made calls to Kamalini identifying themselves as bank employees and collected the ATM card number, Card Verification Value (CVV) number and One Time Password (OTP) on April 7 evening.
Later, the fraudsters called Byomkesh from a different mobile number the same evening and also collected the ATM card number, CVV number and OTP from him. The accused then transferred Rs 49,996 to the Paytm wallet of Dukhi from the account of Kamalini while Rs 49,799 was transferred to the wallet from the account of Byomkesh, Arora said. On April 8, the couple lodged a complaint with Ainthapali police in this regard following which the siblings were arrested.