Pune, 2nd December 2024: A 55-year-old resident of Hadapsar, Pune, fell victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, resulting in the loss of ₹9,79,511 from their bank accounts.

Fraudsters used an eSIM activation scam to gain control over the victim’s mobile phone, ultimately accessing their banking information and transferring funds across multiple accounts.

The incident began when the victim received a call from an individual identifying himself as Sohit Kumar, who claimed that the victim’s 4G SIM card needed to be upgraded to 5G to avoid deactivation.

Despite the victim’s refusal, the calls persisted, and the SIM card was eventually deactivated.

The victim contacted service provider's customer service, where they were asked for personal information, including their name, address, last recharge date, and the last four digits of their Aadhaar card.

Shortly after providing this information, the victim’s SIM card was replaced with an eSIM controlled by the fraudsters.

Over the following days, the fraudsters withdrew ₹9,21,112 from the victim’s Maharashtra Bank account through 40 transactions and ₹58,399 from their Union Bank account via nine transactions. The funds were transferred to 48 different accounts in 49 transactions.

The victim only realized the fraud after noticing discrepancies in their bank balances. They immediately lodged a complaint with the Hadapsar Police, who are investigating the case under the supervision of Police Inspector Jagdale.

Authorities have urged citizens to exercise caution when sharing personal details over the phone and to verify the authenticity of callers claiming to represent telecom or utility companies.