By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Cybercriminals have defrauded multiple residents of Patna, siphoning off over ₹38 lakh through fraudulent schemes involving gas bill payments, job offers, and fake money-earning links. Victims have lodged cases at the cyber police station.
Gas Bill Payment Fraud
Deepak Chandra, a resident of Magistrate Colony, was duped of ₹9.42 lakh after receiving a call from an unknown number. The caller posed as an officer of GAIL India and claimed that his gas bill was overdue. He was sent a payment link and instructed to clear the dues. While attempting the payment, his mobile phone started malfunctioning, and the large sum was fraudulently transferred from his account.
Similarly, Amarendra Kumar of CDA Colony, Shastri Nagar, received a similar call and was defrauded of ₹9 lakh. Both victims have registered complaints at the cyber police station.
Fake Rating Scheme Fraud
In another incident, Mohammad Nafees Alam from Phulwari was lured by cybercriminals with the promise of earning money by rating hotels. He received a link from an unknown number, clicked on it, and initially earned small amounts of money for completing two or three ratings. However, soon after, ₹5.74 lakh was fraudulently transferred from his account.
A similar scam targeted Anup Kumar Tiwari from Digha Kurji, who was also invited to rate hotels for monetary rewards. After earning a small profit initially, he was conned out of ₹3.34 lakh by promises of higher earnings.
Job Fraud at Airport
Tarun Kumar, a resident of Kankarbagh, was cheated of ₹1 lakh in the name of securing a job at the airport. He revealed that after transferring the money, the fraudster switched off their mobile phone and became unreachable. When repeated calls went unanswered, Tarun lodged an FIR at the cyber police station.
Police Investigation Underway
The Patna cyber police station is investigating these cases, urging residents to exercise caution while responding to calls, messages, or links from unknown sources. They have also advised people to avoid sharing personal or banking information over the phone or through unverified links.
