special correspondent
Kundapur: Very frequently, cases of bank account-holders getting cheated through fraud calls are being reported in the media.
Many banks keep reminding their account-holders by SMS that there was no practice of calling the customers over phone to ask for their details which are already in the bank’s records.
Thereby the banks keep cautioning the account-holders not to fall for such tricks. In spite of it, some customers get trapped by fraudulent callers, when they claim to be top bank officials and warn that the credit card accounts would be blocked if not renewed.
By creating insecurity in their minds, the account-holders are tricked into providing the callers with details like ATM card number and the personal identification number (PIN), failing which, they would have their accounts deactivated.
As a result, in a huff, the account-holders tend to give the details. This happens even in the cases of educated persons.
In order to create awareness in this matter, this portal has been highlighting this issue as often as possible. Such cases of getting cheated have reduced in number in recent days but not completely.
Muhammed Farooq, a resident of Shri Veereshwara temple locality in Gangolli in Kundapur taluk, is the latest victim of this method of fraud. On Saturday, March 12, around afternoon, he got a call on his mobile from a person claiming to be the manager of Canara Bank where Farooq held his account.
The caller said that Farooq’s ATM card was due for renewal and asked him to call out its number and the PIN for confirmation. In good faith, he revealed both. Within half an hour so, he received a message saying that his account had been debited with Rs 22,636 in connection with an unspecified transaction.
When Farooq went to the police station in Gangolli to file a complaint, they are said to have declined to register it saying that those cases did not come under their purview. Hence he has filed a complaint with the bank.
Anyone getting such such calls can noted down the caller’s number, ask for his name, designation and the branch from which he called. After cutting the call, the manager or a top official of the bank of the branch where the account is held should be informed.
Many right-thinking citizens have suggested that all banks set up a special cell to prevent such frauds.
Beware of fraudsters!
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