ATM frauds have become the most common activity everywhere. Media in any form has not been able to make people understand that they need to be extra alert in such cases. Greed and lack of awareness makes people an easy catch for such fraudsters. People are not supposed to entertain any phone calls that mention blocking of ATM cards or renewal of insurance policies. The callers are smart enough to sweet-talk with consumers and consumers fall prey to such calls.

A fraudster posing to be a bank manager over a phone call informed a consumer that his ATM card had been blocked. Victim Nissar Ahmed s/o Abdul Gaffar of Raza Colony in Mallah Talai became an easy catch for this fraudster. Nissar Ahmed got a call at 9:30 a.m. The so called “bank manager” informed him that his ATM card was outdated and was about to be blocked. The caller asked if the consumer wished to continue with his ATM card. When Nissar Ahmed confirmed his wish to continue, the caller took all details of the card along with password through messages and calls. When interrupted by Nissar about the details, the caller convinced him that he was genuine manager and not an impostor like others. The caller also used stern voice to convince Nissar Ahmed that he would do no such thing being a bank manager. He also said that without taking the PIN number, the ATM card could not be kept activated for future transactions.

After a few minutes post call, an amount of 19000 rupees was withdrawn from his account. Understanding the fraud, Nissar Ahmed went to the bank to inform them about the fraud but by then another 21 thousand rupees was withdrawn from his account. This way he lost 40000 rupees to the impostor.

Source : bhaskarnews