30 arrested for duping 2,000 SBI customers of Rs. 5cr
Thirty people, mostly women, have been arrested in Delhi for allegedly running a fraud SBI credit card racket and duping around 2,000 customers of Rs. 5cr, Cyberabad Police said yesterday. The gang would call up customers and convince them to part with their card details, then use them to make unauthorized transactions. Police revealed these transactions were carried out through the same website, www.jayyshree.com.
How did they run the racket?
For the scam, the mastermind, Vijay Kumar Sharma, teamed up with Sandeep Bajaj, linked to Hyderabad-based Jay Shree Distributors, and Delhi-based Sapphire Business Solutions, co-owned by Ashutosh and Abhijit Shrivastav. Together, they hired 22 telecallers to call up SBI credit card holders and persuade them to part with their card number and OTP. They would then use their cards to make transactions in Jay Shree's name.
The mastermind, Sharma, was arrested last year for similar fraud
Most transactions were of Rs. 8,500, the complainants informed. This money would go to one of three bank accounts held by Bajaj, who'd remit it to Sharma's account. Sharma retained a 15% share and credited the rest to Sapphire, TNM reported. Incidentally, Sharma was arrested in 2017 for similarly cheating account holders. He would make websites and payment gateways to fraudulently collect online payments.
Telecallers were paid Rs. 800 for each customer they trapped
The fraud came to light when Mrudula Koduri, Assistant Manager, SBI Cards and Payments Services reached out to Cyberabad Police last month. Police found they had started the racket in late February. The telecallers were paid Rs. 800 for each customer they trapped. All the accused, including Sharma and two 'team leaders,' were arrested on July 8. They will appear before the SHO on July 23.
Here's how you can stay safe
Amid a spike in such crimes, one needs to stay alert. Never share your account/card details with anyone: banks never ask customers for such details. Register your mobile number and email ID with the bank to receive transaction alerts instantly. Change your online/mobile banking password regularly. In case of theft, contact your bank immediately and get your account and card blocked.
At the ATM
While using your card at ATMs, enter PIN discreetly. Ensure you are captured by CCTV cameras so the footage could be used later in case of crime. Never take help from strangers. Remember, only you, and not your spouse/parent/relative, are authorized to use your card.
While conducting transactions online
While conducting online transactions, double-check if the website you are transacting on is genuine. Make transactions only through your bank's official website. Do not open suspicious-looking mails; they could be carrying malware designed to steal sensitive information. Set up a PIN/password on your phone to protect your information. If sending it for repairs, block your mobile banking applications and unblock them later.
