Inspector SG Hemant (51) of Kherwadi police station in Mumbai fell prey to an online scam, losing Rs 5 lakh in a ‘KYC fraud’ on Wednesday. The officer, who confirmed the fraud, shared the details in his complaint filed at Kherwadi police station.
While on duty around 1 pm, Inspector Hemant received a call informing him that his savings bank account would be blocked for failing to update his KYC details. The scam, documented in the FIR, involved the inspector being instructed to download an app to prevent defaulting on his housing loan EMI deducted from his bank account.
Upon saving the app, the scammer gained remote access to the inspector’s device, stealing banking details and conducting two transactions of Rs 1.11 lakh and Rs 3.89 lakh from two of his accounts.
Realizing the scam, Inspector Hemant promptly contacted the National Cyber Portal helpline (1930) to register an online case before filing the FIR, ensuring the blockage of the recipient account.
The fraudster, posing as a telecaller from a private bank, claimed the inspector’s KYC was pending, creating a sense of urgency. The inspector, fearing the blockage of his account, followed the scammer’s instructions, only to realize later that he had been deceived.
After downloading the remote access app, the scammer coerced the inspector into entering details related to his debit card, PAN card, and date of birth. Further instructions led the inspector to dial ‘401’ and forward a mobile number to customer service for KYC updates.
As the scam progressed, the fraudster requested a WhatsApp video call, extracting more information when multiple one-time passwords were received, and the call abruptly ended, leaving the police inspector defrauded.