INDORE: A routine phone call promising to help redeem unused credit card reward points allegedly ended with an Indore woman losing nearly ₹4 lakh from two of her bank accounts, in yet another case of fraudsters exploiting banking-related services to deceive victims.
According to the woman’s complaint to the police, she was contacted by a person who claimed to be a bank official. The caller told her that her accumulated credit card points could be redeemed and then guided her through a series of procedures to supposedly complete the process.
Trusting the caller, the woman followed the instructions given to her. She later discovered that money had been withdrawn from two of her bank accounts, with the total loss amounting to around ₹4 lakh.
The victim approached the police after noticing the unauthorised transactions. A case has been registered and an investigation is underway.
Investigators are examining the transaction trail to determine where the money was transferred and identify the accounts and individuals allegedly involved in the fraud. Police are also collecting information related to the bank accounts used in the transactions as part of efforts to trace the accused.
The incident highlights a common tactic used in financial cyber fraud: criminals impersonate bank representatives and create a sense of urgency or convenience around services such as reward-point redemption, card upgrades, KYC updates or account verification.
Police have once again urged people to be cautious of unsolicited calls claiming to offer banking services. Customers should independently contact their bank through official helplines or apps rather than following instructions given by unknown callers.
Banking credentials, card details, PINs, passwords and one-time passwords should never be disclosed over a phone call. Suspicious links or instructions to install unfamiliar applications should also be avoided.
As cybercriminals increasingly use familiar banking services as a pretext to gain victims’ trust, the Indore case serves as another reminder that even an apparently harmless offer to redeem credit card points can turn into a costly financial trap.
