Sambalpur: Cyber Fraud Strikes Sambalpur Resident; Rs 50,000 Lost to Cloning Website Scam
Sambalpur: A growing incidence of cybercrime in Sambalpur has made locals exposed to a variety of online frauds, with criminals using sophisticated strategies to deceive people. In the most recent occurrence, Ramgopal Panigrahi, a resident of Saurabh Bihar, Burla lost Rs 50,000 due to a cyber fraud scheme.
According to the details provided, on the night of February 20th, Ramgopal received a message apparently from SBI (State Bank of India). The message claimed to offer the redemption of 4,988 reward points on Yono and emphasized that February 20th was the last date to convert these points into cash. Accompanying the message was a link. Intrigued, Ramgopal clicked the link, leading him to a cloned website resembling SBI’s official platform.
After entering his username and password, which were similar to Internet banking credentials, he was asked for an OTP. Unaware of the impending fraud, he provided the OTP twice. Subsequently, Rs 49,888 was deducted from his bank account. Realizing he had fallen victim to a scam, Ramgopal immediately contacted the cyber helpline number to report the incident. Failing to find a resolution, he lodged a written complaint at the Burla police station on Tuesday night.
Law enforcement has taken immediate action, registering a case and initiating an investigation following the cyber fraud incident. This case is a sharp reminder of the importance of vigilance and cybersecurity awareness in protecting against the developing strategies used by cybercriminals in the digital era.
