Ahmedabad: Cyber fraudsters duped an 80-year-old retired government employee living in Paldi of his entire life savings—₹17 lakh—in just 30 seconds by posing as bank officials and offering to help him submit his life certificate online.
Police said the scam began with a fake Facebook page designed to resemble the official Bank of India page. The page claimed that pensioners could submit their life certificates without visiting a branch. The victim clicked on the “Get in Touch” option and entered his mobile number.
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Soon after, he received a call from a person claiming to be a bank employee who assured him that his life certificate would be updated immediately. During the conversation, the caller obtained sensitive banking information. Within seconds, multiple transactions were executed and ₹17 lakh was withdrawn from the account.
The elderly man, who lives alone, realised he had been cheated only after receiving debit alerts on his phone. The amount represented savings accumulated over 38 years of service.
Pensioners increasingly on cyber gangs’ radar
Cyber experts say fraudsters are increasingly targeting senior citizens using pretexts such as life certificate submission, KYC updates, pension verification or threats of account freezing. They use official logos, fake social media pages and bank-like caller IDs to build trust before extracting OTPs, PINs or net banking credentials.
Police begin probe
Following the complaint, the cyber crime police have registered a case and begun examining the transaction trail, call detail records and beneficiary bank accounts. The concerned bank has been alerted to help track and freeze the funds. Investigators suspect the involvement of an organised interstate network.
FCRF issues warning
The Future Crime Research Foundation (FCRF) has described such incidents as “social-engineering-driven high-speed fraud”. According to the organisation, fraudsters first harvest phone numbers through fake bank pages or messages, then create urgency during calls so victims do not get time to verify. In many cases, small test transactions are carried out before siphoning off the full amount.
FCRF also noted that reporting the fraud within the “golden hour” on the 1930 helpline or the national cyber crime portal significantly improves the chances of freezing the money. Delays allow the funds to be split across multiple mule accounts.
How to stay safe (FCRF advisory)
- Banks, RBI or government agencies never ask for OTP, PIN or passwords over phone
- Submit life certificates only through the Jeevan Pramaan portal, official bank apps or by visiting the branch
- Verify social media bank pages through blue tick and correct URL
- Treat calls threatening account suspension as suspicious
- Never install unknown screen-sharing or remote-access apps
- In case of fraud, call 1930 immediately and file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in
The incident underscores the growing need for cyber awareness alongside digital banking adoption, particularly for senior citizens. Timely reporting and basic verification steps remain the most effective safeguards against such scams.
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.
