In Hyderabad, a 78-year-old physician narrowly escaped a fraudulent scheme thanks to the vigilance of State Bank of India staff and local law enforcement. The elderly doctor, seeking financial assistance for his wife’s medical care, fell prey to con artists masquerading as customs officials and police officers.
They falsely accused him of being implicated in a money laundering operation and urged him to liquidate his Senior Citizen Savings Scheme account to transfer the funds. Fortunately, the bank employees grew suspicious and alerted the police, who swiftly intervened, safeguarding the doctor from a potential loss of Rs 30 lakh.
The ordeal began when the doctor received a phone call from an individual impersonating a customs officer, who informed him that a parcel addressed to him had arrived from Malaysia. The call was then handed over to another scammer, identified as Sunil Kumar, who claimed to be an Assistant Commissioner of Police from Delhi.
The fraudsters manipulated the situation by extracting the doctor’s banking and Aadhaar information, alleging that his identity had been used to open 30 bank accounts linked to an extensive Rs 88 crore money laundering scheme. They insisted that he close his SCSS account and transfer his savings to them.
Convinced by their deceitful narrative, the doctor visited the bank to execute the account closure. However, G Naveen Kumar, the bank manager, sensed something was amiss and probed further into the doctor’s situation.
The doctor explained that the funds were urgently needed for his wife’s treatment, but his distressed demeanor and the incessant calls from the fraudsters raised red flags for Naveen Kumar. Taking immediate action, he informed his regional business office and reached out to the local police, who arrived quickly, questioned the doctor, and ultimately thwarted the fraudulent attempt, ensuring the doctor’s financial security.
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