A cyber fraud involving a fake 5G SIM upgrade has cost an IT engineer from Sector 82 ₹24.86 lakh, after scammers carried out an unauthorised eSIM swap and gained control of her mobile number. Using that access, they siphoned money from her bank accounts and credit card over a four-day period. A case has been registered at the cybercrime police station and an investigation is underway.
According to the complaint, the victim received a call on February 4 from a person posing as a telecom company executive, offering to upgrade her 4G SIM to 5G. After she agreed, the fraudsters initiated an eSIM activation request on her number without any OTP or link verification. Her mobile network was immediately disabled.
The scammers then called from multiple numbers, claiming that the phone would remain inactive for 24 hours as part of the 5G upgrade process. They continued to mislead her by citing technical issues. When the phone remained non-functional for four days, she visited a telecom store on February 8 and obtained a replacement SIM.
Upon regaining access, she checked her bank accounts and credit card and discovered multiple unauthorised transactions. Funds had been withdrawn from her Axis Bank and ICICI Bank accounts, and her Axis Bank credit card was also used. Part of the money was routed through Amazon, Freecharge and PhonePe.
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Following the discovery, the victim’s husband reported the incident to the bank helplines and filed a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). Cyber police have registered an FIR and begun analysing transaction trails, mule accounts and the SIM swap process.
Officials described the incident as a classic SIM swap fraud, where criminals take control of a victim’s mobile number to bypass OTP-based banking security. With the phone inactive, victims remain unaware of ongoing transactions until their accounts are emptied.
Cybercrime authorities have warned that telecom operators do not upgrade SIMs through unsolicited calls and that eSIM activation always requires OTP authentication. Citizens have been advised to verify any SIM-related request only through authorised stores or official apps.
Police also advised that if a mobile network suddenly stops working without reason, users should immediately contact their telecom provider and bank, temporarily block net banking and UPI services, and report the matter on the 1930 cyber helpline to prevent further loss.
Efforts are underway to identify beneficiary accounts and freeze the siphoned funds. Investigators are using digital payment data and telecom records to trace those involved in the fraud.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
