Kolkata Man Duped of ₹2.9 Lakh: A chilling cybercrime unfolded in Kolkata when 49-year-old Sandip Kumar Rathi, a resident of Bagbazar, discovered he had been robbed of nearly ₹2.9 lakh through a sophisticated SIM-swap fraud.
It began innocuously in July, when Rathi clicked on a malicious link sent via SMS. What seemed harmless at the time turned into a nightmare weeks later. On August 23, while attempting a regular mobile transaction, he realized he had lost network access. Minutes later, unknown individuals used his credit card to purchase travel tickets online—draining his funds without leaving him a chance to react.
Rathi rushed to the Shyampukur police station and filed a complaint. By then, however, the money had vanished into digital corridors too complex for immediate tracking. The police have since initiated an investigation, but Rathi’s ordeal stands as a stark reminder of how quickly cybercriminals can exploit digital vulnerabilities.
Kolkata Man Duped of ₹2.9 Lakh: How SIM-Swap Scams Work
At the heart of this crime lies a simple but devastating technique: SIM swapping.
- Fraudsters convince telecom operators to issue a duplicate SIM card linked to the victim’s phone number.
- Once activated, this duplicate SIM disables the original and routes all calls, texts, and most importantly, banking OTPs to the fraudster’s device.
- The criminals then access financial accounts, reset passwords, and make transactions—often within minutes.
This type of fraud thrives because SMS-based OTPs remain the primary security layer for most Indian banks. Once compromised, nearly every linked service—bank accounts, emails, digital wallets, even social media—becomes vulnerable.
For a detailed breakdown, see:
🔗 SIM Swap Scam – Wikipedia
Why Kolkata Is Seeing a Rise in Such Cases
Kolkata has recently become a hotspot for digital crimes, ranging from phishing attacks to SIM frauds. The city’s growing dependence on digital payments has ironically opened new avenues for criminals.
Experts point to a few reasons:
- Telecom vulnerabilities – Duplication of SIM cards is still possible with minimal verification.
- Low awareness – Many citizens are unaware of warning signs like sudden network outages.
- High digital adoption – Online banking, UPI, and OTP-dependent transactions have surged in the city.
- Delayed reporting – Victims often panic or wait too long to contact banks or police.
The Emotional Toll on Victims
For victims like Rathi, the trauma is not just financial but deeply psychological. Imagine suddenly being cut off from your phone network, unable to call, text, or verify transactions, while your hard-earned savings vanish in real time.
Victims describe the experience as:
- Helplessness – No control over their own number.
- Shock – Transactions occur faster than they can react.
- Anxiety – Worry about future frauds, identity theft, and lack of trust in digital systems.
In conversations with cybercrime officers, many victims said they felt ashamed of falling for scams, which further delays reporting.
How Citizens Can Protect Themselves
While systemic solutions are needed, personal vigilance remains the strongest defense. Experts recommend:
- Do not click suspicious links received via SMS, WhatsApp, or email.
- Set a strong PIN or password for SIM replacement with your telecom provider.
- Enable app-based OTPs where possible, instead of relying only on SMS.
- Check your phone network – sudden loss of service without reason may indicate SIM tampering.
- Contact your bank immediately if your SIM is inactive for more than 30 minutes.
- Report incidents at the official National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The Systemic Gaps: Why Are Telecoms and Banks Still Vulnerable?
The incident exposes a critical flaw: the over-reliance on mobile numbers as identity markers. In India, a mobile number is tied to everything—banking, Aadhaar, UPI, and even income tax accounts.
Key gaps include:
- Telecom verification flaws – Duplicate SIMs can still be issued with forged documents.
- OTP dependency – SMS-based authentication is outdated but still widespread.
- Lack of integration – Banks, telecom operators, and law enforcement often work in silos, slowing down recovery.
- Awareness void – Public campaigns against cyber fraud are limited and rarely reach vulnerable groups like senior citizens.
The Police Response
Kolkata Police’s cyber cell has urged citizens to remain vigilant. Their advisories emphasize:
- Blocking SIM and bank accounts immediately.
- Reporting frauds within the first golden 24 hours to maximize the chances of recovery.
- Educating family members, especially the elderly, about phone-based frauds.
However, even officers admit that once money is funneled through multiple accounts—often routed abroad—recovery is extremely difficult.
A Larger National Concern
India has seen a surge in cybercrime, with SIM-swap scams forming a large share. According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, reported digital frauds jumped by more than 70% in the past two years.
Global reports show a similar pattern. In the United States, the FBI warned that SIM-swap attacks caused losses of over $68 million in 2021 alone, compared to just $12 million in the three years before.
This makes it clear: SIM-based fraud is not just a local issue, but part of a global cybercrime wave.
The Road Ahead: Solutions and Safeguards
Cyber experts and regulators recommend:
- Mandatory biometric verification for SIM card re-issuance.
- Stronger cooperation between banks and telecoms for real-time alerts.
- Transition to multi-factor authentication (MFA) using apps like Google Authenticator.
- Mass awareness drives to educate the public on cyber hygiene.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has already issued circulars urging banks to adopt stronger safeguards. But until policies translate into practice, citizens remain the first line of defense.
A Wake-Up Call
The case of Sandip Kumar Rathi is not an isolated incident but a wake-up call for every digital user in India. With financial transactions increasingly tied to mobile numbers, protecting your SIM is as important as safeguarding your bank card.
For now, the message is clear: awareness, vigilance, and quick response are the only shields against SIM-swap fraud.
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