Bengaluru: An 82-year-old Bengaluru resident has allegedly lost ₹3.5 lakh to cyber fraud after a scamster impersonating an Election Commission of India (ECI) official on WhatsApp and convinced him to share personal information under the guise of voter verification.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.
Fraudster posed as ECI official
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the victim, identified as Parthasarathy, received a WhatsApp call on the evening of July 30 from a person claiming to be an Election Commission official.
The caller allegedly informed him that his Special Intensive Revision (SIR) form had been rejected and required fresh verification to complete the process.
Personal details shared through fake link
The fraudster reportedly sent a link via WhatsApp and asked the elderly man to download a new application form. Believing the request to be genuine, Parthasarathy downloaded the form, filled in personal details, including his name, father’s name, mobile number and residential address, and sent the completed form back.
Soon afterwards, ₹3.5 lakh was allegedly withdrawn from his bank account through fraudulent transactions.
Police suspect the scammers may have used the information obtained during the verification process to gain unauthorised access to the victim’s financial details.
Police urge public to remain alert
Following the incident, police have urged citizens, particularly senior citizens, to remain cautious of unsolicited phone calls, messages and links claiming to be from government agencies.
Officials advised the public not to share personal or banking information through WhatsApp or other messaging platforms without independently verifying the authenticity of the request. They also reminded citizens that government departments generally do not seek sensitive personal details through unofficial links or phone calls.
The investigation is underway to identify the fraudsters and trace the stolen money.