A 24-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly threatening and manipulating a Puttur resident in a fake insurance scam, cheating him of over ₹2.37 lakh, police said.
According to investigators, the accused repeatedly called the victim, posing as a representative of an insurance company and offering to arrange a policy. When the complainant declined the offer, the caller allegedly issued threats to cancel the existing policy and created panic.
Police said the accused then manipulated the victim into sharing his credit card number and one-time password (OTP) under the pretext of resolving the issue. Soon after obtaining the details, ₹2.37 lakh was fraudulently transferred from the victim’s credit card to another account.
Arrest after cyber probe
A case was registered at the Dakshina Kannada District Cyber Crime Police Station under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Following a technical investigation and digital tracking, police arrested the accused, identified as Avinash Ramesh Gowda, a Maharashtra native residing in Krishnarajapete in Mandya district, on February 11.
He was produced before a court and remanded to custody. Police stated that further investigation is under way to determine whether he is linked to similar insurance-related frauds.
Public advised to stay alert
Cyber crime officials have urged citizens not to share banking details, credit card numbers, or OTPs with unknown callers, even if they claim to represent insurance companies or financial institutions.
Authorities emphasised that threats over policy cancellation are a common tactic used by fraudsters to manipulate victims into acting in haste. They appealed to the public to verify such calls directly with authorised insurers and immediately report suspicious activity.