A silent drain across bank accounts and cards
A 35-year-old software engineer from Shela, near Ahmedabad, has reported losing nearly ₹6.8 lakh from multiple financial accounts in a case that is now being investigated as suspected cyber fraud. According to the complaint, the money was withdrawn from three bank accounts and charged across three credit cards, even though the victim says he did not share any OTP, did not authorise any transaction, and did not receive any SMS or mobile alerts.
The engineer, who works from home for a Bengaluru-based technology company, came to know about the alleged unauthorised debits only after visiting one of his banks on Aug 3 to obtain an account statement. What appeared at first to be a single irregularity soon expanded into a much larger financial shock as he began checking his other accounts and card records.
How the unauthorised transactions were discovered
As per the FIR filed with Bopal police, the first bank statement showed that ₹1.5 lakh had been debited from his savings account. He then reviewed two more bank accounts and allegedly found two additional withdrawals of ₹1.5 lakh each. When he checked his credit card statements, he found three more transactions of ₹95,000, ₹49,975 and ₹90,000.
Taken together, the disputed withdrawals and card charges added up to nearly ₹6.8 lakh. The complainant told investigators that he had not disclosed his bank account details, card information, passwords or one-time passwords to anyone. He also stated that none of the transactions triggered an SMS, banking app warning or mobile notification, which meant there was no immediate sign that money had moved out of his accounts.
Suspicion and the police investigation
In his complaint, the engineer reportedly raised suspicion about a cousin who had stayed at his home for four days shortly before the transactions came to light. By the time he discovered the alleged theft, the relative had already left. Police have not confirmed any individual’s involvement, but investigators are examining whether someone may have accessed the complainant’s financial information or devices without his knowledge.
Before approaching the local police station, the engineer said he reported the matter through the National Cyber Crime Helpline. Bopal police are now reviewing digital evidence, transaction logs, device access history and the fund trail to determine how the money was removed and whether the case involved compromised banking credentials, misuse of card data, or another form of cyber fraud.
Why the case stands out
This Ahmedabad case is notable because the complainant claims the disputed transactions took place without any OTP sharing, direct authorisation or standard phone alerts. In many banking fraud cases, victims become aware only after receiving transaction messages. Here, the absence of alerts appears to have delayed detection until the account statements were manually checked.
The case also underlines a broader lesson for customers using bank accounts and credit cards: mobile alerts are useful, but they should not be the only line of monitoring. Regularly checking statements, reviewing card activity and reporting suspicious debits quickly can help limit losses and support a stronger investigation. For now, police are continuing to investigate how the funds moved and whether unauthorised device or data access played a role.
Key Terms
- OTP: One-Time Password, a temporary security code used to confirm a login or payment.
- FIR: First Information Report, the formal police document used to register a complaint about a suspected crime.
- Debit: Money withdrawn or taken out from a bank account.
- Credit card statement: A record that shows purchases, charges, payments and other activity on a credit card.
- Transaction log: A digital record showing when and how a financial transaction took place.
- Device access: Whether someone was able to use or gain entry to a phone, laptop or another digital device.
- Digital evidence: Electronic information such as phone data, computer records or online activity that may help investigators.
- National Cyber Crime Helpline: A government reporting service for online fraud, cybercrime and digital financial complaints.
