No OTP Shared, Yet Hardoi Chief Pharmacist Loses Rs 2.03 Lakh in 13 Unauthorised Bank Transactions
Hardoi: A chief pharmacist working at Hardoi Medical College has allegedly lost Rs 2,03,900 from his Bank of Baroda account through 13 unauthorised transactions, despite claiming that he neither received a suspicious call nor shared an OTP with anyone.
The pharmacist, identified as Sarvendra Singh, reportedly discovered the fraud after receiving multiple bank alerts about deductions from his account. Singh, originally from Dakouli village under Madhoganj police station, currently resides in government accommodation on the medical college campus.
Singh stated that he was on duty at the medical college at around 11:15 am on August 31 when messages regarding deductions from his account started arriving. Initially, he suspected that a transaction could have occurred because of a technical error. However, when the alerts continued, he checked his account and found that several withdrawals had been made within short intervals.
The reported transactions included deductions of ₹42,000, ₹52,000, ₹10,000 and ₹9,999, among others. The total amount withdrawn eventually reached ₹2,03,900 through 13 transactions. Singh reportedly stated that neither he nor any member of his family had issued a cheque or authorised an online payment during the period.
The case has drawn attention because Singh added that he did not receive any suspicious call from an unknown person and did not share an OTP before the transactions occurred. The precise method through which the unauthorised withdrawals were carried out has not yet been determined.
Police and cybercrime officials are examining the transaction records, payment channels and beneficiary accounts to establish how the funds were transferred. Investigators will also determine whether banking credentials, a card-linked mechanism or another route connected to the account was involved. At present, the available information does not establish the exact method used.
After discovering the alleged fraud, Singh reported the matter through the cybercrime helpline 1930 and also filed a written complaint at Madhoganj police station. Police and cybercrime investigators are tracing the movement of the money and examining the beneficiary accounts involved in the transactions.
The timing of individual transactions, beneficiary details and subsequent movement of the funds are expected to form an important part of the investigation. Authorities are also examining whether the transaction trail could be connected to a wider cyber fraud network.
Cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh has advised victims of unauthorised banking transactions to immediately inform their bank and report the incident through 1930. He has also stressed the importance of preserving transaction alerts, bank statements, payment details and complaint numbers, as prompt reporting can improve the possibility of tracing or blocking funds before they are moved through additional accounts.
The Hardoi incident also highlights that unauthorised banking transactions do not necessarily involve an OTP being shared with a fraudster. Different mechanisms may be involved, and the exact route can be established only after examining banking records and completing the investigation, reports The420.in.
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