Tejas Navale

Pune: Amidst rising incidents of cyber fraud, Pune residents are falling prey to various schemes promising easy money or urgent bill payments. On April 9 alone, the city witnessed 11 reported cases of online deception, shedding light on the vulnerability of citizens to cyber fraud.

In one instance, an 82-year-old resident of Rambagh Colony in Kothrud was duped after receiving a call from a cyber thief posing as a bank representative. The fraudster persuaded the victim to download a quick transfer app, Annie Desk, under the guise of settling an overdue MNGL gas bill. Subsequently, a staggering sum of seven lakh sixty-seven thousand rupees was siphoned from the victim's account, exploiting the obtained credit card and password details.

Similarly, a woman residing in Guru Ganesh Nagar, also in Kothrud, fell victim to an online scam propagated through WhatsApp. A stranger enticed her with promises of earning substantial money by merely liking a YouTube video. After receiving the link via Telegram, the perpetrator coerced the woman into transferring two lakh ninety thousand rupees into a bank account under the pretence of completing a task. Distressed by the deceit, the woman sought recourse by filing a complaint with the Kothrud police.

Another incident unfolded on Sinhagad Road, where a 59-year-old man from Hingane Khurd received a threatening message regarding overdue MSEB electricity bills. The message warned of disconnection unless immediate payment was made. Exploiting the victim's fear, the scammer obtained debit card information, resulting in a staggering sum of eleven lakh rupees being illicitly withdrawn from the victim's bank account.

These distressing occurrences have prompted the police administration to issue a stern warning, urging citizens to remain vigilant against cyber fraud schemes.