In today’s digital world, online scams are becoming more common, and it’s easy to fall victim to fraud if you’re not careful. A recent case in Kanpur highlights just how dangerous these scams can be. A man, Suresh Chandra Sharma, lost approx. Rs 7.7 lakh while trying to apply for a PAN card for his great-grandson living in the United States. This incident serves as a reminder of the risks involved in online transactions and how scammers exploit the trust of people searching for legitimate services.
Sharma, a resident of Navsheel Moti Vihar Sarvodaya Nagar in Kanpur, had been looking for help online to get a PAN card for his great-grandson, Kanishk Pandey. During his search, he came across two individuals who introduced themselves as customer service representatives.
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The scammers, named Avinash Awasthi and Rajeev Ranjan, told Sharma that he needed to act as a guarantor for the PAN card application. They convinced him to share sensitive details, including his Aadhaar card, PAN card, and banking information, reports TOI.
On November 10, the fraudsters withdrew Rs 1,40,071 from one of his accounts and Rs 6,30,071 from another. Shocked by the sudden withdrawals, Sharma contacted both banks, filed a complaint with the police, and reported the incident to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The total amount stolen was Rs 7,70,143.
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