Pune: A retired engineer from Karvenagar was duped of Rs 4.43 lakh after cyber fraudsters falsely claimed that his recently submitted SIR application had been rejected, persuaded him to refill the application form and, in the process, tricked him into installing remote-access software on his cellphone, enabling them to gain access to his device and siphon off the money.The victim, a former employee of a leading automobile firm, approached the Alankar police station after discovering that money had been siphoned from his bank account through an elaborate online fraud orchestrated between July 30 and 31.According to the FIR, the scam began with a text message claiming that the senior citizen’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) application had been rejected due to a spelling error in his father’s name. Having submitted the form only days earlier, the retiree had little reason to doubt the authenticity of the communication.Adding to the deception, the fraudsters first gave him a missed call from the same number. When he returned the call the following day, they confidently guided him through what appeared to be a corrective procedure, assuring him that a fresh online SIR form would be sent shortly. And within minutes, a link arrived on his messaging application, the FIR stated.Believing he was interacting with legitimate officials, the retiree downloaded the form and began filling in personal information, including identification details and bank account credentials. Unbeknownst to him, the process also led to the installation of remote-access software on his cellphone, effectively handing control of the device to the scammers.The final act of the fraud involved the innocuous verification fee of Rs 5. The suspects instructed him to make the payment to complete the application process. Police said the tiny transaction enabled the fraudsters to obtain his e-banking PIN. Once armed with access to the victim’s banking information and remote control of his phone, the scammers swiftly drained Rs 4.43 lakh from his account.Investigators said the fraudsters used a tactic strikingly similar to the notorious fake traffic challan scams that have surfaced across the country. Instead of luring victims with traffic violation notices, the criminals this time exploited the ongoing SIR verification process, giving their scheme a convincing govt-related cover.Cyber crime officers in Pune have urged residents, especially senior citizens, to remain vigilant against unsolicited messages demanding personal, banking or identity information. They warned that genuine govt agencies never ask users to install remote-access applications or share banking credentials for form corrections or verification procedures.Police are investigating the case and attempting to trace the individuals behind the sophisticated fraud.
