Cyber fraudsters in Patna have struck again, duping three individuals of nearly ₹64 lakh in separate scams. Among the victims is a relationship manager of a private bank, who alone lost ₹59.7 lakh to a sophisticated investment scam.
According to police, the victim, a resident of Khagaul, was approached last month by a man claiming to be an employee of a finance company in Bengaluru. The fraudster lured him with promises of high profits from investing in the firm.
After gaining his trust, the victim was added to an investment app, where over 150 other people were already registered—likely earlier victims. Believing the scheme to be genuine, the banker transferred ₹59.7 lakh to the company’s account. The app was abruptly shut down in August, after which the victim realised he had been cheated and filed a complaint with the cyber police.
Senior Citizen Tricked via Fake Netflix Recharge
In a separate case, an elderly resident of Rupaspur fell prey to a phishing scam while trying to recharge his Netflix account.
When his recharge attempt failed, he searched online for customer care contact details and called a number listed on Google. Unbeknownst to him, the number was set up by cybercriminals. The fraudsters sent him a malicious link for payment and instructed him to enter his banking details.
The moment he complied, ₹3 lakh was deducted from his account.
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BMP Employee Loses ₹1 Lakh in Online Trading Trap
In yet another incident, a Bihar Military Police (BMP) employee was targeted with promises of high returns through online trading. Convinced by the scam, he transferred ₹1 lakh, only to later discover he had been cheated.
Police Register Cases, Probe Underway
The cyber police have registered cases in all three incidents and launched an investigation. Authorities have warned citizens to remain cautious of:
- Investment offers from unknown individuals or apps
- Customer care numbers sourced from search engines
- Suspicious links requesting personal banking details
- Online trading schemes promising quick profits
Officials stressed that fraudsters are increasingly using social engineering techniques to exploit both tech-savvy professionals and unsuspecting senior citizens.
Growing Cybercrime Challenge in Patna
Cybercrime in Bihar’s capital has seen a sharp rise, with scams ranging from fake investment platforms to phishing through customer care numbers. Police said awareness remains the most effective defence, and urged residents to report such cases promptly via the 1930 cybercrime helpline or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in).
