Balakrishnan P., a 46-year-old contractor from Amruthahalli, has filed a complaint with the north-east cyber crime police that he not only lost ₹2 lakh from his savings bank account, but the accused had also used his bank account details to avail online loan of ₹9.8 lakh on Saturday.
He was among several persons who received bulk messages informing about the payment of electricity bill being due and warning of power disconnection. The message also had a contact number and a link for further queries.
Mr. Balakrishnan clicked on the link the accused had sent to download an app and pay ₹11 as per the instructions given. Mr. Balakrishnan followed the instructions and realised that ₹2 lakh had been deducted from his account. He then started receiving messages informing that he had availed a loan from a mobile app.
Mr. Balakrishnan is worried about losing his money and getting intimidating calls from recovery agents of the loan app.
In another case, Ashwathappa, 63, a retired private firm employee from Yelahanka, lost ₹1.3 lakh in a similar manner. He downloaded the quick support app and paid ₹20 and the money in his savings bank account was gone.
The police are now trying to track down the money transactions and have advised the duo to change the passwords.
In another case, N. Jayaraman, 68, a resident of Kaggadasapura, filed a complaint with the east division cyber crime police that he lost ₹9.97 lakh on Friday. Mr. Jayaraman said that as soon as he downloaded team viewer quick support app and paid ₹11, a sum of ₹9,97,000 was deducted from his savings bank account.
Colin Calmiano, 60, from HBR Layout, was also cheated of ₹4.9 lakh in a similar cheating incident. The accused, posing as a Bescom staff, sent him a message to update his electricity bill payment option with a link on Sunday. Following the instructions, Mr. Calmiano paid ₹11 using the app following which a total sum of ₹4,99,911 was deducted through many transactions on his saving bank account.
