Customer care number on Google turns out fake, cop loses Rs 3.9 lakh  

Fraudsters posing as customer support agents obtained his email ID and password. They kept him engaged in a 37-minute call, during which they gained access to his sensitive financial details. The scammers reportedly accessed the online banking of the complainant and used it for buying gold and used it online too. Days later, on February 22, Parkash discovered that his bank account had been drained of Rs 3.9 lakh (Rs 2 lakh + Rs 1.9 lakh).

The case was registered on April 27, under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Acting on complaint, the cybercrime police traced the fraudulent transactions to an IndusInd Bank account opened in the name of Imran Ansari, 25, a resident of West Bengal. As per DSP, with technical surveillance and support from the local police, a raid was conducted in Brahmapur, West Bengal, leading to Ansari’s arrest.

During questioning, Ansari revealed that he had opened the bank account on behalf of another individual and handed over his ATM card and KYC documents. In return, he received a commission of Rs 3,000. Police also recovered a OnePlus mobile phone with a SIM card from him.

Police, meanwhile, have sought police custody of the accused for forensic analysis of the recovered phone and to trace the broader financial trail. The cybercrime police emphasised that further arrests are likely as they work to dismantle the wider nexus behind fake customer care number scams.

The DSP said that people should always use official apps/websites for recharges, subscriptions, and customer care and never trust customer care numbers obtained via random Google searches.

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