Bengaluru Senior Citizen Loses ₹9.96 Lakh in Fake KYC Update Scam
A 71-year-old resident of K.R. Puram in Bengaluru has lost ₹9.96 lakh after falling victim to a fraudulent KYC update scam targeting his bank account. The incident was reported to the East CEN Crime Police on August 15.
According to the complaint filed by D. Sivaprakasam, he received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number around 5 p.m. while at his residence in Jayanthi Nagar, Horamavu. The message claimed to be from his bank, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), and asked him to complete KYC formalities to avoid account suspension. Trusting the message, he clicked on a link that prompted him to install an app named 'Aadhaar update.apk' on his mobile phone.
Believing the application to be a legitimate banking tool, Sivaprakasam installed it and entered his 16-digit debit card number, CVV, and expiry date. Within minutes, he started receiving bank alerts about debits from his account. Police records show that six transactions totaling ₹9.96 lakh were made without his authorisation.
Realising that he had been targeted by cyber fraudsters, Sivaprakasam immediately contacted his bank and requested that his internet banking facility be frozen. He also deleted the APK file from his phone to prevent further financial loss. The complainant told police that the money was savings meant for future medical expenses for himself and his family, making the loss particularly devastating.
He has submitted his bank statement, a copy of the APK file, acknowledgement documents, screenshots of the debit alerts, and the WhatsApp conversation to the police. The East CEN Crime Police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
This incident highlights a growing trend of cyber frauds in India where scammers impersonate banks and other official institutions through messaging apps. KYC (Know Your Customer) updates are a common pretext used by fraudsters to trick victims into sharing sensitive information or installing malicious applications. Banks and regulatory authorities have repeatedly warned that they never ask customers to update KYC via unsolicited links or third-party apps. Legitimate KYC updates are done only through official bank portals or in person at bank branches.
Experts advise that individuals should never download applications from links received via WhatsApp, SMS, or email. They should also avoid sharing debit card details, CVV, OTPs, or passwords with anyone. If a person suspects fraud, they should immediately inform their bank, freeze their account, and file a complaint with the cyber crime cell or the national cyber crime reporting portal.
The police have urged citizens to be cautious and verify any communication that asks for financial or personal details. Investigations are ongoing, and authorities are working to trace the fraudulent transactions.
