A retired employee in Hyderabad has lost ₹11.69 lakh after cyber fraudsters impersonated bank officials under the guise of updating his annual life certificate. The perpetrators contacted the victim, established credibility by referencing routine pension verification procedures, and obtained his Aadhaar and debit card details. They subsequently instructed him to join a WhatsApp video call and enable mobile screen sharing, which enabled the unauthorized withdrawal of ₹11.69 lakh across six separate transactions from his fixed deposit and savings accounts.
Impersonation and Screen Sharing Exploited for Fraud
According to police reports, the fraudsters initiated contact by presenting themselves as legitimate bank representatives who required an immediate update of the victim’s life certificate. Because the submission of a life certificate remains an essential annual requirement for pensioners to maintain regular benefit disbursements, such administrative pretexts are frequently deployed to disarm suspicion. The callers persuaded the pensioner to disclose his personal identification and card credentials before guiding him into an active video session on WhatsApp.
During the call, the perpetrators convinced the pensioner to share his mobile screen, a step that allows third parties to observe confidential device activity in real time. Investigators note that screen sharing permits unauthorized individuals to intercept banking alerts, access security credentials, and view incoming authorization codes without the account holder realizing the immediate operational risk.
Unauthorized Transfers Drained Fixed Deposits and Savings
Once the required access was established, the perpetrators initiated six transactions that depleted funds from both the victim’s savings account and his fixed deposits, amounting to a cumulative loss of ₹11.69 lakh. The fraudulent activity was carried out entirely without the victim’s knowledge or consent, only coming to light after the account balances were reviewed and reported to law enforcement.
While the preliminary complaint details the sequence of the call and the monetary loss, specific technical mechanisms used to bypass account protections, the precise destination accounts for the diverted funds, and the identities of the individuals operating the network remain subject to active police verification.
Advisory Issued on Pension Scams and Verification Protocols
Following the incident, cybercrime authorities issued an advisory urging pensioners and retired personnel to exercise heightened vigilance when approached regarding pension documentation. Fraud networks systematically exploit administrative deadlines and government compliance requirements to fabricate urgency, threatening disruption of monthly benefits to induce compliance.
Police emphasized that legitimate banking personnel and government bodies never request Aadhaar information, debit card numbers, personal identification numbers, or one-time passwords over the telephone. Citizens are cautioned against participating in screen-sharing sessions or downloading third-party applications at the direction of unknown callers, as such actions surrender remote visibility over private banking interfaces. Authorities advise that all pension updates be processed exclusively through designated bank branches or official digital portals, and any unauthorized financial activity should be reported immediately to banks and cybercrime units to expedite the tracing of funds.
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