Aligarh: Cyber fraud cases in the district are surfacing with rapidly evolving patterns. In recent complaints, a startling commonality has emerged—victims neither received an OTP nor clicked on any suspicious link, yet lakhs of rupees were debited from their bank accounts. The incidents have raised serious questions around banking security, mobile number merging/sim-swap scams, and customer–bank accountability. Police say that if technical probes establish no fault on the customer’s part, bank liability can be fixed under guidelines issued by the Supreme Court of India.
According to complaints registered at the cyber police station over the past few days, fraudsters are deploying a “silent debit” technique. In this method, the account holder’s registered mobile number is compromised—often via call or SMS merging/sim-swap tactics—allowing unauthorised transactions without triggering OTPs or instant alerts. As a result, money leaves the account quietly, with several victims learning about the debits hours later through delayed bank messages.
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Investigators say each case is undergoing forensic scrutiny to trace when, where and how mobile numbers or account access was compromised. Parallel internal inquiries are also being conducted by the concerned banks. As per procedure, if probes clearly show no lapse by the customer, banks initiate priority refunds through insurance or internal security mechanisms. Officials, however, note that the proportion of such “no-fault” cases tends to be limited.
Snapshot of Recent Cases
- A Dehli Gate resident reported an abrupt debit of ₹2.70 lakh on January 24; the transaction came to light only after a message later.
- A Civil Lines account holder lost ₹1 lakh in three online transactions on January 26.
- In another case, a credit card was debited twice, totalling ₹1.13 lakh.
- An unauthorised ₹2.98 lakh debit via UPI was reported without the customer’s knowledge.
- On January 7, ₹6.96 lakh was siphoned off through online transfers from another account.
- A fixed deposit account saw about ₹3 lakh withdrawn in three instalments.
Amid these incidents, a separate, high-value investment fraud has also surfaced. A resident of the Quarsi area filed a complaint alleging he was cheated of ₹25 lakh on the pretext of stock market investments. As per the complaint, a woman identifying herself as Kavya Godbole contacted the victim with promises of attractive returns. He was later added to a group that shared regular “market updates.” Trust was reinforced with a purported agreement, following which money was transferred multiple times to different bank accounts. When the victim sought a refund, a woman named Anusha denied any contractual relationship. Police have registered a case and begun investigations.
What to Do, How to Stay Safe
Cyber experts advise immediate reporting to the bank and the cyber helpline upon noticing suspicious calls, investment pitches, or sudden app/network issues. Set transaction limits on accounts, UPI and cards; enable SIM-swap alerts; and avoid unknown groups or claims of “guaranteed returns.”
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
