A major cyber fraud attempt was foiled in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district thanks to the swift thinking and alertness of Punjab National Bank officials. A 78-year-old retired army Subedar was targeted by fraudsters who attempted to extort 70 lakh rupees by placing him under fear of a fake digital arrest. However, vigilance displayed by the staff at the bank's Bhumpal branch ensured that the elderly customer's life savings remained safe and out of the hands of cyber criminals.
Extortion Demands And Threats Over WhatsApp Calls
The cyber fraud campaign against the retired veteran began on 19 August when he started receiving persistent WhatsApp calls from fraudsters impersonating police officers. The callers displayed a police officer's photograph as their profile image and used an official-sounding name to intimidate the victim. The imposters threatened the retired Subedar with immediate arrest and imprisonment if he failed to follow their financial instructions. Overwhelmed by the constant psychological pressure and fear of legal consequences, the elderly veteran agreed to transfer the requested funds.
Cover Story Of Flat Purchase For 70 Lakh Transfer
Under severe stress, the veteran visited the PNB Bhumpal branch on 25 August to inquire about moving a substantial sum from another bank account into his PNB account before forwarding it to a corporate account. To avoid suspicion, the retired Subedar informed the branch staff that the funds were needed to purchase a flat for his son. Subsequently, on 29 August, the customer deposited 70 lakh rupees into his Bhumpal PNB account and requested an urgent transfer of the entire balance to an ICICI Bank account specified by the scammers.
Suspicious Bank Staff Uncover Cyber Fraud Scheme
The request to transfer 70 lakh rupees in a single transaction immediately raised red flags for the branch staff. Branch Manager Ankita Sandal, Deputy Manager Meenakshi Sharma, and bank official Sanjay Sood grew suspicious about the transfer. Acting responsibly, they contacted the veteran's son to verify the property transaction. When the son expressed complete ignorance about any flat purchase, the officers confirmed their doubts. On 31 August, when the customer returned to the branch to finalize the transaction, the managers brought him into their office for detailed questioning.
Savings Secured In Fixed Deposit Alongside Police Warning
During the meeting, the veteran disclosed the series of threatening WhatsApp calls from individuals posing as police officers. The bank managers explained the mechanics of digital arrest cyber scams and made him realize that he was being duped. Realizing the truth, the veteran immediately canceled the transfer request to the ICICI Bank account and instead placed the entire 70 lakh rupees into a Fixed Deposit. Commenting on the incident, SP Hamirpur Balveer Thakur clarified that law enforcement agencies do not conduct digital arrests and urged citizens to remain calm and report any suspicious financial demands to the police and bank authorities immediately.
