Man poses as internet service provider technician, steals credit card information from elderly
The case came to light when an elderly person incurred a bill of more than Rs 1 lakh on his credit card he had never used
By Newsmeter Network
Representational Image.
Hyderabad: A person has been arrested for allegedly stealing credit information and using it for her personal gain.
The cybercrime police identified the person as Mudike Balraj, a technician at Jio Fiber and a resident of Warangal.
The case came to light when an elderly person incurred a bill of more than Rs 1 lakh on his credit card he had never used.
Case details
The victim, a 78-year-old retired man from Hyderabad, received a text message through the CRED app stating that an amount of Rs 1,11,589 was due on his credit card.
As the victim had not used this amount, he immediately visited Axis Bank and inquired about the transactions.
The bank officials informed him that they would send the bill details via email. However, there was no response from the Axis Bank officials.
After multiple visits and inquiries within the department, the desk officer for senior citizens advised the victim to make the payment.
Accordingly, the victim paid the said amount through NEFT. A fresh credit card was issued in the victimās name, but he never used the new card. Later, the victim received another message through the CRED app, requesting payment for the new credit card.
He again visited the bank and informed them that he had never used the card. Upon further inquiry, the bank officials provided him with a statement, through which he discovered that his credit card had been misused by unknown persons through Paytm.
Modus operandi
Balraj would target elderly persons by exploiting issues with their internet connection. Posing as a technical support representative, he convinces them that their connection requires urgent repairs or upgrades. Under this pretense, he persuades them to provide their credit card details, which he then uses for unauthorised transactions.
Public advisory
- Scammers are misusing credit cards through unauthorised transactions, leading to financial losses for innocent individuals.
- Report suspicious transactions immediately if you notice an unauthorised transaction, and raise a dispute with your bank immediately.
- Do not share OTPs or banking details with strangers whose qualifications you canāt confirm directly.
- Monitor your credit card statements regularly. Use official banking apps to check for fraudulent activity.
- If you have any genuine doubt about the safety of your interests, it is advisable to physically visit your bank/finance institution.
- Victims of cybercrime, dial 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in.
