A retired government official in Lucknow fell victim to a sophisticated cybercrime in early April 2025, losing ₹8.85 lakh through a series of IMPS transactions. Despite immediate complaints to banks and law enforcement, redressal has been slow, exposing glaring weaknesses in India’s cyber fraud response ecosystem.
Digital Heist in Lucknow: ₹8.85 Lakh Vanishes in Seconds
Dr. Anil Dixit, a retired senior official of the Animal Husbandry Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, was defrauded of ₹8,85,000 in a meticulously orchestrated cyber scam on April 8, 2025. Using a blend of phishing tactics, WhatsApp impersonation, and remote access tools, cybercriminals executed three IMPS transactions within minutes, siphoning funds from Dr. Dixit’s Bank of Baroda and State Bank of India accounts.
Documents reviewed show that the attackers transferred ₹2,00,000 twice and ₹4,85,000 in a final hit—draining the victim’s life savings despite repeated alerts and attempts to block the accounts.
The Anatomy of the Scam
According to the formal police complaint and victim’s affidavit, the fraud began with a call from a person posing as a senior government official, asking Dr. Dixit to join a WhatsApp video call for a ‘virtual verification.’ During the conversation, he was tricked into sharing screenshots and card details, and potentially clicking on a malicious APK or link.
These details gave the attackers remote access or card credentials, enabling them to bypass OTP verification and initiate the transactions using IMPS—a common tactic in digital banking fraud. The UTR numbers of the transfers match those in the account statements and police records, confirming the fraudulent outflow.
A Trail of Delays and Desperation
Despite immediately lodging complaints with cybercrime (Complaint ID: 33104250041786) and bank grievance cells, the response has been sluggish. An email from the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal indicates that the case was put “on hold,” advising the victim to contact local police—a typical dead end in many such cases.
Screenshots from call logs show persistent follow-ups by Dr. Dixit with cyber helpline numbers, while bank statements from both SBI and BOB verify that the amounts were debited within minutes of each other.
The Punjab & Sind Bank account receiving ₹4.85 lakh was flagged as “disputed” in internal bank records, but no reversal or freezing of the funds has occurred till now.
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A Cry for Action
The case has now become emblematic of India’s ongoing struggle with digital financial crimes. Even as the Ministry of Home Affairs and RBI push for awareness through platforms like the 1930 helpline, the execution gap in freezing transactions, coordination among banks, and real-time redressal is painfully evident.
Dr. Dixit has submitted physical and digital complaints to the police, the RBI Ombudsman, and the respective banks. His Aadhaar and account documents, shared as part of the verification process, have also been included in the complaint file, raising concerns of identity theft in addition to financial fraud.