A cyber fraud case has been reported in Almora, Uttarakhand, where ₹2.52 lakh was withdrawn without authorisation from two bank accounts linked to Google Pay. Following the victim's complaint, police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.
Cyber criminals allegedly targeted the Google Pay-linked bank accounts of Gopal Datt, an employee of the Gramotthan Project and a resident of Kotabagh in Nainital district. According to the complaint filed with police, his accounts with the State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda were linked to Google Pay.
The complainant stated that he did not make any online payment or UPI transaction on July 29 or July 30. Despite this, a total of ₹2.52 lakh was transferred to unknown accounts through five separate UPI transactions. He became aware of the unauthorised transfers after checking his bank statements.
According to the complaint, ₹96,000 was withdrawn from the Bank of Baroda account on July 29, while three separate transactions of ₹20,000 each were made from the SBI account on the same day. On July 30, another ₹96,000 was withdrawn from the Bank of Baroda account. In total, ₹2.52 lakh was transferred to accounts allegedly operated by cyber fraudsters over two days.
After learning about the transactions, the victim contacted both banks on August 1 and requested the immediate blocking of UPI and other online banking services. He also filed a complaint on the Cyber Crime Portal, seeking recovery of the money and action against those responsible.
Based on the complaint, police have registered a case against unidentified accused persons. The cyber cell has also begun a technical examination of the transactions. Police are attempting to determine the destination accounts to which the money was transferred and the method used to carry out the alleged fraud. Officials said all aspects related to the digital transactions are being examined.
According to cyber experts, users should avoid clicking on unknown links, QR codes or suspicious files. UPI PINs, OTPs, CVV numbers and banking credentials should not be shared with anyone. Banking and payment applications should only be downloaded from official app stores, and users should not install screen-sharing or remote-access applications at the request of unknown individuals.
Experts also advise keeping bank alerts and SMS notifications enabled to receive immediate information about suspicious transactions. If any unauthorised transaction occurs, customers should immediately inform their bank and lodge a complaint through the National Cyber Helpline by dialling 1930. Timely reporting can increase the chances of funds being held or recovered in some cases.
