A Bengaluru resident fell victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing ₹2.8 crore after scammers sent him a smartphone and SIM card. The 60-year-old was contacted via WhatsApp by fraudsters pretending to be Citibank officials. They falsely informed him that a new credit card had been issued in his name and required him to switch to a new SIM, allegedly authorized by Airtel. Trusting the claim, he complied.

On December 1, the scammers delivered a Redmi smartphone worth ₹10,000 along with the SIM. The moment he inserted the SIM into the device, unauthorized withdrawals began, completely draining his bank account. Realizing the deception, he reported the incident to the police.

Investigators suspect the phone contained pre-installed malware, enabling hackers to steal sensitive banking data. By duplicating his credentials, the fraudsters gained remote access to his account and conducted the transactions without triggering security alerts.

This case exposes a new cybercrime tactic where criminals distribute malware-laden phones to compromise victims’ financial security. To prevent such fraud, individuals should remain wary of unsolicited banking-related calls and never accept SIM replacements from unverified sources. Banks do not operate through WhatsApp or offer device-based upgrades.

Always verify with official bank contacts before making any changes, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and report potential scams to authorities. Cyber awareness is the best defense against financial fraud.