Mahabubnagar SBI staff’s alertness saves customer from digital arrest scam

The customer visited the branch and requested a transfer of Rs 4.2 lakh via RTGS method while he was reportedly on a WhatsApp video call.

Hyderabad: The alertness of State Bank of India (SBI) staff, Clock Tower branch in Mahabubnagar, helped a victim of a ‘digital arrest’ scam from losing money.

In a digital arrest scam, fraudsters target individuals or businesses, posing as law enforcement or government officials.

The customer visited the branch and requested a transfer of Rs 4.2 lakh via the real-time gross settlement (RTGS) method while he was reportedly on a WhatsApp video call.

The customer looked tense and was on a WhatsApp video call when M. Anitha, the senior associate at the bank, asked him about the purpose of the transfer. However, the customer struggled to respond clearly, speaking in a shaky voice.

After receiving an unsatisfactory response, Anitha took him to the branch’s chief manager, Sushma Indla. The chief manager inquired about the reason for the transfer and asked if he was okay. He didn’t respond verbally; instead, he simply pointed to the smartphone in his shirt pocket without saying a word.

Alerted by the suspicious gesture, when the manager probed further it was revealed that the customer had been the victim of ‘digital arrest’ through the ongoing WhatsApp video call.

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To raise no suspicion and buy time, the branch manager asked the customer for KYC documents while the chief manager called the town police. Responding to the distress call, the police quickly reached the SBI branch and took over the case.

The victim was then brought to the cybercrime police station. The officials then spoke to the caller, busting the scam.

The police have initiated an investigation based on the complaint registered by the victim, who later visited the SBI branch and thanked the bank staff who saved him from the cyber fraud.