Cyber fraud : Retired OU professor lost his money

A retired Osmania University professor was conned by cyber fraudsters under the pretext that he would get a new security-enabled debit card with his photo. The professor lost Rs 59,997 by revealing his one time password (OTP) to strangers, who masqueraded as SBI employees.

Dr Mohammed Akbar Ali Khan, 63, a retired professor from Shaikpet has three savings accounts with SBI at different branches. On June 20, he received a phone call from a woman who claimed to be an SBI official from Mumbai who informed that the bank is issuing new debit cards with the photo of the customer on the card for security reasons. As the callers were persuasive despite disconnecting the call, the professor believed it to be true and shared his debit card detail.

After receiving the OTP on his mobile phone, Khan shared them with the woman caller. Minutes later, he received a message that Rs 59,997 was debited from his bank accounts. He realised that he was cheated and approached the cyber crime police.

Based on his complaint, cyber crime inspector V.P. Tiwari registered a case under Sections 419 and 420 of IPC, and Sections 66 C and 66 D of IT Act.