Odisha police ASI’s spouse lands in hassle for cybercriminals

By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The spouse of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), who’s posted within the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB), has landed in hassle allegedly due to the cybercriminals.

ASI Bijay Kumar Balahi’s spouse Banalata Parhi reportedly accepted to avail bank card companies after a public sector financial institution mentioned she will make the most of as much as Rs 2 lakh for health-related issues in case of an emergency and pay the quantity later via her financial savings account.

Banalata acquired a phone name in November final 12 months and the caller impersonated the financial institution’s bank card agent. The caller requested the sufferer why she was not using the companies even 15 days after receiving the bank card.

The sufferer requested the caller to dam her bank card as she was not discovering it essential to avail the companies.

However, the caller claimed that Banalata will even must make a fee if she decides to give up her bank card and steered she activate the companies.

The caller requested the sufferer to share the one time password (OTP) despatched on her cell phone to activate the companies. When Banalata shared the OTP, she acquired a message {that a} transaction of greater than Rs 49,000 was carried out utilizing her bank card.

Banalata knowledgeable her husband Bijay and he instantly withdrew the money deposited in her financial savings account.

The couple reported the matter to the financial institution and Bhadrak Town police station in November 2021. However, since then the sufferer has been receiving messages from the financial institution to clear the excellent quantity together with the curiosity amounting to over Rs 59,000.

“We did not carry out any transaction using the credit card and the fraud was also reported to the bank. But, the bank officials are asking us to clear the outstanding amount. As the local police were not able to help us, I lodged a complaint at the cyber cell in Bhubaneswar,” mentioned Bijay.