Koppal: A farmer from Kushtagi taluk in Karnataka’s Koppal district allegedly lost Rs 5.5 lakh after cyber fraudsters duped him with a false promise of arranging a loan to purchase a tipper.
According to a report by The Times of India, the victim, Mallappa Sajjanagudda, a resident of Kyadiguppa village, had approached an Axis Bank branch in Ilkal, Bagalkot district, seeking a loan of Rs 40 lakh to purchase a tipper. However, bank officials informed him that the institution did not provide loans for such purchases.
While at the bank, Mallappa noticed a loan advertisement playing on an LED screen and decided to contact the mobile number displayed on it. Although his initial call went unanswered, he subsequently received a call from another number.
The caller, who spoke in Hindi, claimed that he could help arrange the required loan. Presenting himself as a bank employee, the fraudster assured Mallappa that the loan application could be processed and requested his Aadhaar details and ATM PIN, claiming they were necessary for the procedure.
Trusting the caller’s assurances, Mallappa shared the requested information. However, instead of receiving financial assistance, he soon discovered that Rs 5.5 lakh had been withdrawn from his bank account.
The incident highlights how fraudsters exploit people’s financial requirements by posing as representatives of legitimate banking institutions and advertising attractive loan offers.
Following Mallappa’s complaint, the Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police registered a First Information Report (FIR) and initiated an investigation to identify those responsible for the fraud.
