SBI Hyderabad Branch Saves Senior Citizen from Rs 13 Lakh Scam
In Hyderabad, a State Bank of India (SBI) branch stopped a senior citizen from falling victim to a Rs 13 lakh scam. The 61-year-old child specialist, a long-time customer of the bank, had been tricked by scammers into believing he was under “digital arrest.” They warned him not to share the matter with anyone.
The man visited the bank to break his Fixed Deposits and withdraw the money. His anxious behavior raised suspicion among the staff. Surya Swathi D, an associate at the branch, inquired about the reason for the withdrawal. His vague and urgent response made her alert.
Swathi referred him to the branch manager, Kumar Gaud. When questioned, the customer initially claimed he needed the money to buy property. However, he couldn’t specify the location of the property, which deepened the staff’s concerns.
The bank staff advised the customer to return with a family member and refused to process the withdrawal for three days. During one visit, the customer tried to avoid Swathi’s kiosk, likely fearing more questions, but the entire branch had already been alerted to the situation.
On the third visit, the bank staff connected the customer to the national cybercrime helpline at 1930. During the call, he discovered that the concept of “digital arrest” was a scam created to frighten him into transferring money.
After three tense days, the customer finally realized he was being deceived. He immediately ended communication with the scammer.
Later, the customer admitted he had been on the phone with the scammer throughout his visits to the bank. The fraudster had tried to manipulate him by claiming the bank staff could not be trusted. Thanks to the vigilance and persistence of the SBI employees, the senior citizen was saved from losing a significant amount of money.
