Chandigarh: A senior citizen couple from Chandigarh’s Sector 23-C has allegedly lost more than ₹2.26 lakh after falling victim to an online fraud in which scammers impersonated customer support executives from a well-known home services platform.

The Cyber Crime Police Station in Sector 17 has registered a case and initiated a technical investigation into the phishing operation. Authorities have already frozen one of the suspected beneficiary bank accounts while tracing the movement of the stolen money through multiple financial channels.

Fraud Began with Fake AC Service Call

According to the police complaint, Harish Chander Madan received an unsolicited phone call from a person claiming to represent Urban Company, a popular home services provider. The caller, who introduced himself as Amit Kumar, offered a discounted air-conditioner servicing package ahead of the summer season.

After gaining the couple’s confidence, the fraudster convinced them to complete what was described as a mandatory digital verification process for booking the service. During the process, the victims were asked to click on links and enter sensitive banking details, including authentication credentials.

Investigators believe the information was used to gain unauthorized access to multiple bank accounts.

Over ₹2.26 Lakh Withdrawn

Police said unauthorized transactions were carried out between May 11 and May 12. The fraudsters allegedly transferred ₹1,74,149 from two bank accounts belonging to Harish Chander Madan, maintained with Punjab National Bank and Bank of India.

An additional ₹52,414 was withdrawn from three separate bank accounts held by his wife, Madhu Madan, taking the total financial loss to ₹2,26,563.

The couple discovered the fraud after reviewing transaction alerts received on their mobile phones and immediately reported the incident through the national cybercrime helpline.

Police Freeze Suspect Bank Account

Cyber investigators tracked the flow of funds to multiple bank accounts reportedly linked to individuals identified as Sachin, Sajit Ahmed, and Akhtar Khan.

Officials confirmed that one UCO Bank account associated with the investigation has been frozen to prevent further withdrawal of funds. Investigators are now examining bank records, mobile phone numbers, IP addresses, and digital transaction logs to identify those behind the scam.

Case Registered Under BNS

A criminal case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to cheating, impersonation, and criminal conspiracy.

Police are also investigating whether the same fraud network has targeted other victims in Chandigarh or neighboring states using similar methods.

Cyber Police Issue Public Advisory

Following the incident, cybercrime officials have urged citizens, particularly senior citizens, to remain cautious when receiving unsolicited calls offering discounted home services or requesting online payments.

Authorities advised consumers to avoid sharing banking credentials, OTPs, PINs, passwords, or clicking on links sent by unknown callers. Genuine service providers generally process bookings and payments only through their official mobile applications or websites.

Anyone who suspects cyber fraud should immediately report the incident by calling the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or by filing a complaint through the official cybercrime reporting portal to improve the chances of recovering lost funds.

The investigation remains ongoing.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has uncovered critical digital evidence in the ongoing probe into the alleged ₹657 crore Haryana bank fraud, revealing that SMS alerts linked to dozens of suspicious transactions were allegedly diverted to mobile numbers controlled by individuals connected to the accused.

The findings were presented before a court in Panchkula, where two former bank officials were remanded to CBI custody as investigators expand their probe into what appears to be a deeply coordinated banking and financial manipulation network.

Fraud Alerts Routed to Unauthorized Numbers

According to the CBI, 47 suspicious debit transactions worth approximately ₹187.26 crore triggered SMS alerts that were not delivered to authorized government officials. Instead, the alerts allegedly reached mobile numbers linked to co-accused individuals.

Investigators believe this diversion played a crucial role in concealing unauthorized withdrawals from multiple government department accounts.

Bank Officials Under Scrutiny

The court has sent former IDFC First Bank Area Head Shamim Dar and former AU Small Finance Bank Branch Manager Charanjeet Singh Randhawa to three days of CBI custody.

The agency alleges that Dar played a key role in facilitating the opening of several government-linked accounts at a Chandigarh branch by certifying Know Your Customer (KYC) documents and confirming account verification procedures that are now under question.

These certifications, investigators claim, were later exploited to operate accounts using allegedly forged or manipulated banking instruments.

Suspicious Account Activity Across Departments

The investigation has revealed that multiple government accounts, including those belonging to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad (HSSPP), and Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB), were allegedly misused for fraudulent financial transactions.

One mobile number linked to a co-accused, Abhishek Singla, was reportedly registered across multiple government accounts and used to receive transaction alerts, raising concerns over systemic security failures in account verification processes.

Alleged Fake Vendor Payments and High-Value Transfers

The CBI has also flagged several transactions presented as legitimate payments to vendors or contractors, which investigators now suspect were used to bypass internal financial approvals.

Among the flagged activities is a ₹2.49 crore transaction categorized as a vendor payment and a ₹10 crore withdrawal executed using a cancelled cheque. Officials allege that procedural checks were bypassed or manipulated to enable these transfers.

Shell Company and Large-Scale Fund Diversion

Investigators have identified a firm named M/s Swastik Desh Projects, which is suspected to be a shell entity used for routing fraudulent transactions.

According to the agency, multiple payments from the Panchayat Department account were transferred to this entity, including transactions allegedly linked to former bank officials involved in authorization and verification processes.

The CBI also highlighted a ₹25 crore transaction from the HPGCL Employees’ Pension Fund Trust account that was allegedly diverted to the same entity on December 29, 2025.

Probe Focus: Digital Evidence and Money Trail

The investigation is now centered on analyzing call detail records, banking documentation, KYC verification files, and digital transaction logs to reconstruct the complete flow of funds.

Authorities are also examining whether unauthorized changes were made to registered mobile numbers in government accounts, which may have enabled the concealment of fraudulent activity.

Systemic Lapses Under Review

Officials say the case has raised serious concerns about banking compliance, verification procedures, and oversight mechanisms in handling government-linked accounts.

The CBI is currently working to establish the full extent of involvement of all accused individuals while assessing whether the fraud was part of a larger organized financial network

Authorities in Baguiati have launched a detailed investigation into a cyber fraud case in which a local resident was allegedly tricked into surrendering control of his bank account and unknowingly used as a “money mule” in a wider laundering operation involving ₹34.5 lakh.

Police say the victim believed he was applying for a legitimate business loan but was instead drawn into a coordinated scam network that exploited his personal and banking credentials to process illicit transactions.

Fake Loan Offer Used as Entry Point

According to investigators, the fraud began when the complainant approached an online consultancy claiming to offer quick approvals for business loans. The firm allegedly promised a ₹30 lakh loan with minimal documentation and fast processing.

As part of the onboarding process, the victim was asked to submit sensitive documents including identity proofs such as PAN and Aadhaar details, along with signed financial instruments and an upfront deposit.

Officials say the scamsters gradually built trust before escalating the process into a more intrusive verification stage.

Home Visit Leads to Complete Banking Takeover

The case took a critical turn when representatives of the fake consultancy reportedly conducted a “physical verification” at the victim’s residence.

During this visit, the suspects allegedly manipulated the situation to gain access to the victim’s internet banking credentials and linked email accounts. This enabled them to gain full control over his digital financial profile.

Investigators believe this step allowed the network to convert the victim’s account into an active channel for routing stolen funds.

Suspicious Transactions Flagged by Banks

Shortly after the compromise, two large credit transactions—amounting to ₹11 lakh and ₹23.5 lakh—were deposited into the victim’s account from unidentified sources.

When the account holder attempted to withdraw or access the funds, banking systems flagged the activity as suspicious and immediately froze the account.

Officials later confirmed that the incoming money was linked to ongoing cyber fraud cases, indicating that the victim’s account had been used as part of a broader money laundering chain spanning multiple states.

Cybercrime Network Suspected of Multi-State Operation

Preliminary findings suggest the fraud is part of an organized interstate cybercrime network that uses compromised bank accounts to layer and transfer illicit funds, making them harder to trace.

Police are now tracing IP logs, communication records, and transaction trails to identify the individuals behind the consultancy firm and their financial handlers.

Authorities are also working to map other possible victims whose accounts may have been similarly exploited.

Public Advisory on Loan Fraud and Account Misuse

Cybercrime officials have issued a strong warning against dealing with unverified private loan agencies, especially those requesting sensitive banking access or remote verification of financial accounts.

They reiterated that legitimate banks and regulated financial institutions never ask customers to share passwords, grant full account access, or hand over control of email or net banking credentials.

Citizens are urged to report suspicious financial activity immediately via India’s cybercrime helpline 1930 or the national reporting portal to help prevent further misuse of banking systems.