A routine voter registration update turned into a major financial loss for a senior citizen in Kerala after cybercriminals impersonating Election Commission officials tricked him into accessing a fraudulent website. A 72-year-old resident of Thrippunithura in Ernakulam district lost ₹7.70 lakh after falling for the scam. The victim subsequently approached the Hill Palace police station, which has taken up the complaint for investigation.
The fraud began when the resident received unsolicited messages claiming that discrepancies had been identified in his voter registration details. The messages alleged that his name did not match his father’s name in the electoral records and that the error needed to be corrected as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
To make the communication appear genuine, the fraudsters also contacted him over the phone, posing as authorised Election Commission representatives. They claimed to be assisting with corrections to public registration records and persuaded him to complete the verification process.
Following the calls, the accused shared a link through WhatsApp, presenting it as an official Election Commission verification portal. The elderly resident was instructed to open the link and update his details to resolve the alleged mismatch.
However, shortly after he accessed the fraudulent website, unauthorised transactions were carried out through 2 of his bank accounts. The transactions resulted in a combined loss of ₹7.70 lakh. Realising that he had been deceived, the victim immediately reported the incident to the local police.
Investigators are now examining the digital evidence associated with the case. Their investigation includes tracing the mobile numbers used by the fraudsters, reviewing communication records and identifying the bank accounts that received the transferred money.
The incident highlights how cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting routine government procedures to create urgency and deceive unsuspecting individuals. By impersonating public officials and using official-sounding verification requests, fraudsters attempt to gain access to personal and financial information.
Law enforcement authorities have cautioned people against trusting unsolicited messages and links claiming to offer government-related services. Citizens should verify such requests through authorised government offices and official channels instead of accessing unverified links shared through messaging platforms.
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