Kolkata: Have you received any WhatsApp advice on investment from your bank? Check before you put your money.
The Kolkata Police has warned potential investors of multiple fake WhatsApp channels run in the name of SBI seeking investments and providing "expert guidance' that has led to losses of over Rs 1 crore in the last 72 hours across Bengal, two of which got reported from Kolkata. The entire plan, though, had been hatched back in Aug-Sept in all three instances.
In the first instance, a 58-year-old bank customer from Thakurpukur in Behala fell prey to the lure of easy investment returns losing Rs 58 lakh in the process. In the other incident, a 76-year-old man from Kalighat was allegedly cheated of Rs 57 lakh by scammers posing as senior bank officials.
According to the first complaint, one Neetika Bhatia got a link to download an app purportedly named ‘(public sector bank's name) Securities.' After joining a WhatsApp group titled ‘SBI Securities Group -Q-6', the victim was persuaded to make several online transactions, totaling Rs 31,06,730. The victim's attempts to withdraw funds were denied subsequently.
In the second case, the crooks impersonated various bank and government officials. They then created fake profiles and lured the victim into transferring Rs 57,20,000.
SBI has issued a detailed advisory to not fall in the trap of these tricksters. "It has come to our attention that certain unauthorized entities and individuals are circulating sponsored advertisements and messages, falsely claiming to offer stock market tips and investment advice... We wish to categorically state that such advertisements & claims are completely false. SBI does not offer any such stock market tips or run schemes that promise unrealistically high returns, nor do we authorize any person or entity to do so on our behalf," the bank has warned.
Even private banks like HDFC and ICICI have issued similar alerts. "The general public is hereby cautioned that certain unknown individuals, groups, or agencies have been trying to mislead or even defraud members of the public by wrongfully misusing the name of HDFC and publishing and/or circulating fake and fraudulent advertising material and brochures for inviting investments in non-existent schemes of HDFC Mutual Fund," HDFC stated in a recent warning.
"It has come to our (ICICI Direct) notice that certain unknown persons/entities claiming to be part of ICICI Direct / ICICI Securities are soliciting/offering services with respect to trading activities through various online platforms. We urge our investors and public at large to be cautious and vigilant in this regard and be wary of such unscrupulous person/s and/or entity/s impersonating ICICI Direct and/or ICICI Securities," the ICICI bank has stated.