Pune: An unknown fraudster has siphoned off Rs 4,40,199 from the account of an elderly person on the pretext of helping him to withdraw money from an ATM in Wakad police station area. The money was stolen from the victim’s account by the accused over a period of two months.

The 57-year-old complainant, Sulabg Goghre, a resident of Thergaon Gaothan, was unaware of the fraud until he visited the bank on Monday. The complainant who went to the bank on Monday to withdraw money realised that a sum amounting to Rs 4,40,199 was siphoned off from his account.

The complainant reported the matter to the Wakad police after which a criminal case was registered against the unknown fraudster.

Santosh Gholve, Assistant Police Inspector, Wakad police station, said, “On October 18, the complainant visited an ATM branch of a private bank in Wakad. The complainant was not very familiar with using the ATM and was approached by the fraudster who was standing outside the ATM gate. The complainant who was unaware of the intentions of the accused, provided his ATM card pin to the fraudster who helped him withdraw 

Rs 1,000 from the machine. However, while returning the card to the complainant, the fraudster using sleight of hand gave him another debit card and fled from the spot.”

Gholve informed that the fraudster withdrew the amount of Rs 4,40,199 using the ATM card of the complainant. He said, “The complainant was unaware of the transactions despite getting messages on his phone. He is an elderly man and was not well versed with banking procedures which is why despite receiving the messages, he couldn’t find out about the fraud. He discovered about the fraud only after he visited the bank to withdraw some money.” A case under section 406 and others of IPC has been registered against unknown fraudsters.