Doctor Loses ₹22 Lakh to Online Fraud, Alert Bank Official Prevents Further Loss

New Delhi — A case of online fraud in Karnataka’s Mangaluru has highlighted both the growing sophistication of cyber scams and the critical role of alert banking staff in limiting financial damage. A local doctor was duped into transferring ₹22 lakh after fraudsters promised him a large foreign payout, but further losses were prevented due to timely intervention by a Canara Bank official. The matter is currently being investigated by the Cyber Economic and Narcotic (CEN) police.

Lured by promise of a foreign reward

According to police officials, the doctor received an unsolicited international call in which the caller praised his professional work and claimed he was being rewarded with USD 2.5 million. Shortly afterwards, another individual contacted him while impersonating a customs official, stating that a parcel containing the money had arrived in his name.

The caller alleged that the consignment could only be released after payment of customs duties and processing fees, creating a sense of urgency and authenticity around the claim.

Money transferred over multiple days

Trusting the callers, the doctor visited a nearby Canara Bank branch over three consecutive days and transferred funds to several different bank accounts as instructed. Each transaction was presented as a compulsory charge related to customs clearance.

Investigators said the fraudsters deliberately split the amounts across multiple transfers and accounts to avoid immediate suspicion and make the financial trail harder to trace.

Bank official detects suspicious pattern

The repeated visits and unusual transaction behaviour raised concerns for a bank official, who flagged the activity as potentially fraudulent. Before allowing any further transfers, the official contacted the CEN police for verification.

Following preliminary checks, police confirmed that the doctor had fallen victim to a cyber scam. By that point, ₹22 lakh had already been transferred. The intervention, however, prevented additional payments, and the victim immediately lodged a formal complaint.

Police praise bank–law enforcement coordination

Mangaluru Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said the incident demonstrated the importance of cooperation between banks and law enforcement agencies. He noted that recent awareness meetings with banking staff had focused on identifying unusual transaction patterns linked to cybercrime.

“This case shows how timely vigilance by bank officials can stop fraud in progress and save citizens from even greater financial losses,” he said.

A familiar cyber fraud pattern

Police stated that the scam follows a well-established modus operandi commonly seen in online fraud cases:

• Unsolicited calls promising large sums of money from abroad
• Impersonation of customs or government officials
• Demands for payments described as taxes, duties, or processing charges
• Routing money through multiple accounts to obscure tracking

Authorities reiterated that no legitimate government agency demands payments over phone calls or messaging apps to release parcels, rewards, or funds.

Advisory for the public

Cybercrime officials have urged citizens to remain cautious when receiving unexpected international calls or offers of large financial rewards. Any demand for money linked to customs, taxes, or overseas consignments should be independently verified with banks or reported immediately to cyber police.

A reminder on cyber safety

The Mangaluru case underscores how quickly fraudsters exploit trust and urgency—but also how institutional alertness can limit the damage. Officials emphasised that public awareness, combined with proactive monitoring by banks, remains the strongest defence against increasingly sophisticated online scams.