Beware of ‘bank staff’ asking for info

Thane cyber cell gets 2,473 complaints this year, a whopping increase from 1,721 complaints last year

THANE: Cyber crimes in the city have doubled from last year, said Thane police.

The police are trying to create awareness about such fraud among people, and has appealed to people not to divulge their personal or banking details to callers posing as bank employees.

The Thane cyber cell have got 2,473 complaints of cybercrime in 2015 till date – a whopping rise from 1,721 complaints in 2014, and 870 in 2013.

Around 60 percent of the cases in 2015 are of debit card and credit card fraud. Other types of crimes include email spoofing, email hacking and mobile phone tracing.

“We have started creating awareness among Thane residents by displaying posters in residential complexes, junctions, police stations, government offices and corporate offices. We have displayed around 40,000 posters and banners across Thane commissionerate,” said JK Sawant, senior police inspector, cyber crime cell, Thane.

Alarmed by the rise in such crimes, the police are making people aware of such criminals.

“We appeal to the people not to give their personal details on phone. Fraudsters make those calls because your bank will not call customers for such details. If they claim that your card is going to be blocked, you should personally visit your bank and confirm that, instead of sharing your details on phone,” said Sawant.

A senior police officer from Thane commissionerate also said that in many cases where cash has been debited from the account by fraudsters, you can get it back with your bank’s help.

Although banks keep reminding customers that they never ask for debit or credit card details, unsuspecting people fall for the trap.

The fraudsters usually do their homework well and get basic details of customers.

They call up people, saying that they have not been using the card for long, and it is going to be blocked. To avoid this, they have to share the personal details, the fraudsters say.

Aruna Uday Kelkar, 53, a resident of Tilak Nagar in Dombivli (East) recently visited the Thane cyber cell office, saying that a fraudster cheated her of Rs66,905. Kelkar is a clerk with Punjab National Bank.

The fraudster offered to raise her credit card limit and took her personal details such as her 16-digit credit card number and her password, and debited the amount. A case was registered at Kapurbawdi police station this week.

“This case shows that even the bank employees can fall prey to such criminals,” said a police officer from the Thane commissionerate.