Cyber fraud shakes up Bank of Baroda’s Kamola outlet
Residents of the Kamola area in Kaladhungi are on high alert after a spate of unauthorised debits appeared on statements from the local Bank of Baroda branch. Two customers together have been stripped of ₹5 lakh, and officials are still confirming whether the breach affected more account holders.
Clients rush to the branch after suspicious activity
When the irregular entries showed up, the victims hurried to the branch on Monday to verify the status of their accounts. A modest crowd gathered, many seeking reassurance that the remaining balances were intact, while others inquired about closing their accounts or adopting extra security measures.
How the scam unfolded
One victim, Dharmendra Kumar of Vijaypur Dhamola, says he received a WhatsApp message that seemed to be sent by the bank’s cashier. The message urged him to download a purported banking app, after which two separate withdrawals of ₹2 lakh each were executed, erasing ₹4 lakh from his account.
Another customer, Rani Devi of Dhamola, lost ₹1 lakh in a similar fashion, alleging that the same WhatsApp‑based ploy was employed.
Police and cyber‑crime investigators are now tracing the digital footprints to determine whether a single fraudster orchestrated both incidents.
Bank’s reaction and police involvement
Branch manager Ankit Kumar confirmed that the case has been lodged with both the local police station and the cyber‑cell. The bank is scrutinising transaction logs and the circumstances surrounding the alleged withdrawals.
Authorities have launched a formal inquiry, reviewing the affected accounts and cross‑checking transaction records for patterns that might indicate additional victims.
Steps taken in the investigation
Kotwali SSI Pankaj Joshi disclosed that his team is validating each complaint, analysing timestamps, IP addresses and the content of the suspicious WhatsApp messages. The probe aims to identify the perpetrators, recover the stolen funds and assess whether the same method has been replicated elsewhere.
What lies ahead for the impacted customers?
Account holders are urging the bank to reinforce its digital security, upgrade authentication protocols and issue clear guidance on spotting phishing attempts. They also hope for prompt reimbursement of the lost sums and assurances that similar breaches will not recur.
