PAN Card Scam: Man Loses ₹7.7 Lakh During PAN Card Application Process

Kanpur(The Uttam Hindu): In a distressing incident, a 72-year-old resident of Kanpur, Suresh Chandra Sharma, lost ₹7.7 lakh to an online scam while trying to get a PAN card for his great-grandson. A resident of Navshil Moti Vihar in Sarvodaya Nagar, Sharma was targeted after he had sought help through a helpline for the application of the PAN card.

On November 10, Sharma found an online helpline number and contacted them for aid. The people who called back identified themselves as customer service and asked him to give their some details, like his Aadhaar card, PAN card, and banking statements, in order to process the application. Being fooled by the genuineness of the call, Sharma shared the asked details with them. But these rogues used his bank account numbers and withdrew ₹7.7 lakh amount in two instances which are ₹1,40,071 first and ₹6,30,071 the second.

Sharma became alert to the fraud when he received the notifications regarding the unauthorized withdrawals. He immediately notified both his bank and the local police. This is a typical case of how online fraud is on the rise, and how people have to be careful about sharing personal details and sensitive information. The case is being investigated by the authorities, and experts are advising the public to be careful about sharing their personal details online.