A 69-year-old resident of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly lost ₹7.80 lakh in a cyber fraud after responding to a fake credit card advertisement Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Facebook.
The Cyber Crime Police Station has registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.
According to the complaint, Rajesh Sareen, a resident of Prateek Fedora Society in Sector 61, saw a Facebook advertisement promoting a Punjab National Bank credit card on May 18, 2025. Soon after, he received a WhatsApp call from a person claiming to represent the bank, who offered to complete the credit card application process.
The caller allegedly shared an online application form and asked the victim to provide the required details. During the process, the fraudsters reportedly obtained sensitive banking information and internet banking credentials. They later used these details to transfer ₹7.80 lakh from the victim’s 3 Punjab National Bank savings accounts through 4 separate internet banking transactions.
According to the complaint, ₹3 lakh was withdrawn from 1 account, ₹2.27 lakh from another, ₹53,000 from a third account, and an additional ₹2 lakh was transferred in a fourth transaction.
After discovering the unauthorized withdrawals, the victim immediately reported the incident on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and later filed an FIR at the Cyber Crime Police Station, seeking recovery of the stolen money and legal action against those responsible.
Police have registered a case under the relevant legal provisions and started an investigation. Officials are examining beneficiary bank accounts, mobile numbers, digital payment trails, and other electronic evidence to identify and trace the accused.
According to the Future Crime Research Foundation, cybercriminals often use fake advertisements on social media by impersonating banks, government agencies, and well-known brands to deceive users. Experts advise people to apply for credit cards, loans, and other banking services only through a bank’s official website, mobile application, or authorized branch. They also recommend never sharing internet banking credentials, one-time passwords (OTPs), CVV numbers, or any other confidential financial information through online forms, unsolicited links, or phone calls, as this can lead to unauthorized access to bank accounts and financial fraud.
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