Pune: A rural police constable from Saswad became a victim of cyber fraud, losing ₹2.3 lakh after cybercriminals gained access to his cellphone and bank accounts through phone banking services. The incident occurred on December 12, and the constable lodged a complaint on Saturday with Saswad police.
The case has been registered under Section 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act against unknown individuals.
According to the complaint, the fraud began when the constable scanned a QR code to pay a bill at a bakery in Saswad. Soon after, ₹18,755 was debited from his savings account without his knowledge. Investigations revealed additional fraudulent transactions, including ₹12,250 from his salary account, leaving only ₹50.
“The fraudsters even accessed his gold loan account, initiating a ₹1.9 lakh transaction using an OTP, though the constable did not share it,” said an officer. Additionally, they attempted two credit card transactions totaling ₹14,000, but the constable acted quickly, freezing his accounts and credit card to prevent further losses.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fraudsters may have compromised the constable’s cellphone and bank account using a malicious APK file. Authorities are probing whether he unknowingly clicked on a fraudulent link shared by the cybercriminals.
Police have urged the public to remain cautious while using QR codes and online banking services, as cases of cyber fraud continue to rise.