Panchkula woman trying to get her father’s pension, loses ₹7.79 lakh in online scam

Complainant Serina Sona Sidhu said in November 2023 she had submitted her life certificate but didn’t get the pension in November and December 2023, however, she received a message from the bank that they have received the life certificate and her pension will be deposited in her account soon

A 52-year-old woman lost ₹7.79 lakh to an online fraudster posing as a bank employee in lieu of releasing her father’s pension.

A case under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at the cyber crime police station in Sector 12., Panchkula. (HT File Photo)

Complainant Serina Sona Sidhu, a resident of Amravati Enclave in Panchkula, told police that her father is retired from the Air Force and after the death of her mother in 2014, she was getting the pension, following which she was to deposit her life certificate every year.

She said in November 2023 she had submitted her life certificate but didn’t get the pension in November and December 2023, however, she received a message from the bank that they have received the life certificate and her pension will be deposited in her account soon.

But when she did not get the pension till January 9, she searched online for the customer helpline of SPARSH - Defence Pensioners. The person answering the call took her pension payment order (PPO) number and told her that they did not have her data and asked her to contact her bank.

After a few hours she received a call on WhatsApp and the caller identified himself from bank customer service. The caller asked her to download a mobile application and share details of the account so that the pension could be deposited. Following this, the caller asked for OTPs, which she shared with him but no money was transferred to her account. Later, she found that ₹7.79 lakh were debited from her account.

Woman falls prey to cyber fraudster, loses ₹12 lakh

A woman lost ₹12 lakh to a cyber criminal posing as a relative in distress. Complainant Jay Mala, alias Jawala Puri, 61, hailing from Raipur Rani, told police that she is a sadhvi and stays in an ashram.

She said on January 13, she got a call on WhatsApp and the caller told her that her relative Anil had caused a road accident and told her to pay money to save him. Jay Mala over the next 15 days deposited ₹12 lakh to the bank account shared by the caller in lieu of saving her relative.

She said she made the payments after borrowing money from her relatives and acquittances. Acting on her complaint, police have registered a case under Section 420 of the IPC at Raipur Rani police station.