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Chandigarh: ‘Didn’t share OTP with anyone, just clicked on a link and lost money in three minutes’

As per the police, the scammers reportedly accessed the online banking of Om Prakash and used it for buying gold and used it online too

3 min readChandigarhUpdated: Sep 28, 2025 12:52 AM IST

As per victim Om Prakash, ASI in Chandigarh Police, he lost money through a fake customer care number which was displayed on Google search (Representative image)

While many have lost money by sharing OTPs (One Time Passwords), people from Chandigarh claim that they had just clicked on a link received for a routine task, and later, money was debited from their accounts.

In a recent case, Malkeet Singh, working as an assistant secretary with the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, has complained to the Chandigarh Cyber Crime Police that he was duped of nearly Rs 45,000 in just five minutes, without even sharing any OTP.

“I usually shop my groceries from D Mart (a grocery store). While I was scrolling on internet, a link of D Mart popped up on my phone screen. I thought it was something related to my grocery shopping. I then filled my details as asked on my the popped up link, but then in just three minutes I received a message that an amount of Rs 19,608 has been debited from credit card,” said Singh.

He added that in the meantime, he received a call from a bank associate telling him that a fraud has been reportedly committed on his card, and the bank associate told to block the card immediately, but then in the process of blocking the card, in a span of two minutes, Rs 24,515 was lost again.

Singh said that on being advised by his friend, he called at the 1930 helpline number, but even after five-six calls, he received no response, and he then approached the Cyber Crime Police Station in Chandigarh to lodge a formal complaint.

In a similar case, only through a link, the victim, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Chandigarh Police, lost Rs 3.90 lakh in two separate transactions.

As per victim Om Prakash, ASI in Chandigarh Police, he lost money through a fake customer care number which was displayed on Google search, which is searched to recharge for an OTT subscription, but lost nearly Rs 3.9 lakh to scamsters.

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Om Prakash said, “On February 9, 2025, I was streaming content on Disney Hotstar when a pop-up message prompted me to recharge my subscription plan of Rs 149. After making the payment, the service did not resume. Seeking assistance, I searched online and dialed a number listed on Google as Disney Hotstar’s customer care helpline.”

However, fraudsters posing as customer support agents obtained my email ID and password. They kept me engaged in a 37-minute call, during which they gained access to my sensitive financial details. Initially, I did not receive any message of money debited from my account, but then while I checked later that on February 22, an amount of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1.90 lakh was debited, said Om Prakash.

As per the police, the scammers reportedly accessed the online banking of Om Prakash and used it for buying gold and used it online too. Although the police team has traced the fraudulent transactions to an IndusInd Bank account opened in the name of Imran Ansari, 25, a resident of West Bengal, but Om Prakash is yet to receive the lost amount.

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula). Professional Background Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases. Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region. Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns: 1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts "12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013. "‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case. "Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification. 2. Investigative & Scams "CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus. "Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh. 3. Environment & Public Safety "Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities. "Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos. 4. Gangster Culture & Crime "City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules. "Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26. Signature Style Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More

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