At a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Hyderabad, a team of quick-thinking employees stopped a senior citizen from falling victim to a scam. The fraudsters had tried to trick him into transferring Rs 13 lakh.
The 61-year-old child specialist was a long-time customer of the bank. The scammers made him believe he was under “digital arrest” and told him not to tell anyone.
The customer came to the bank to break his Fixed Deposits and withdraw the money. He seemed anxious, which raised suspicion among the staff. Surya Swathi D, an associate, asked him why he needed the money. The customer claimed it was for an urgent reason, but his answer seemed vague.
Swathi directed the customer to the branch manager, Kumar Gaud. The customer initially said he needed the money to buy property. But when the manager asked about the property’s location, the customer admitted he hadn’t decided yet. This raised more concerns.
The bank staff then advised the customer to return with a family member. For three days, they refused to process the withdrawal.
On one visit, the customer tried to avoid Swathi’s kiosk, possibly fearing more questions. He approached another associate, but by then, the entire branch had been alerted to the situation.
On his third visit, the bank connected the customer to the national cybercrime helpline at 1930. There, he learned that “digital arrest” was a scam.
After three stressful days, the customer realized he was being tricked and ended the call with the fraudster.
He later told the bank staff that he had been on the phone with the scammer during his visits. The fraudster had told him not to trust the bank employees. Thanks to the vigilance of the bank staff, the senior citizen avoided losing a large sum of money.
