Bhubaneswar Police Arrest Three in Fake Life Certificate Scam: Pension Fraud Exposed
A 64-year-old retired bank officer in Odisha fell victim to a digital fraud scheme involving a deceptive link purporting to facilitate a mandatory life certificate update.
Incident Details
The incident, which resulted in the unauthorized transfer of ₹8.5 lakh from the victim’s account, led to the arrest of three individuals from Assam by Bhubaneswar Cyber Police.
The operation highlights a growing trend of cybercriminals exploiting vulnerabilities among elderly populations through sophisticated social engineering tactics.
The Scam Unfolds
The Deceptive Link
The scam began on November 3, when the victim received a fraudulent message containing a link labeled as a digital portal for submitting an annual life certificate.
This document is required by public sector banks to maintain active pension disbursements.
Follow-Up Call and Exploitation
The perpetrators, posing as banking officials, placed a follow-up call to the victim, warning of immediate account suspension if the link was not accessed.
The elderly individual, unfamiliar with digital security protocols, clicked the link, enabling the attackers to initiate unauthorized transactions.
Investigation and Arrests
Identifying the Perpetrators
Investigations revealed the involvement of an organized cybercriminal network based in Assam.
Three suspects were identified: Harun Rashid, a 29-year-old pharmacist from Nagaon district; Junaidur Islam, 22, and Ejajul Haque, 23, both from Morigaon district.
Methods and Financial Trail
The group utilized fake SIM cards and corporate mule accounts to obscure the flow of illicit funds.
Law enforcement traced the financial trail through KYC records and cross-state surveillance, leading to their arrest.
Authorities’ Response
Authorities confirmed the suspects are linked to similar fraud cases in multiple states.
Ongoing operations aim to identify additional members of the syndicate.
Cyber Police emphasized that financial institutions do not request sensitive information such as OTPs, passwords, or banking details via unsolicited communications.
The public was advised to verify the authenticity of any digital requests and report suspicious activity through the national cybercrime hotline (1930) or the central registry portal for immediate transaction freezes.
Conclusion
The case underscores the need for heightened awareness among senior citizens and former banking professionals regarding digital security practices.
Cybercrime units continue to collaborate across jurisdictions to dismantle networks exploiting technological gaps for financial gain.
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