An HDFC Bank employee from Mumbai was arrested in Odisha for allegedly defrauding ₹5.99 lakh through a fake e-invoice link. Police are searching for four other gang members and investigating the network.

A banker was duped of Rs 6 lakh by sending an e-challan and used this money to pay his credit card bills.

A simple traffic challan message on your mobile phone can cost you your entire life savings. Cybercriminals are now using the names of government departments to lure people into their traps.

A similar case has come to light in Rourkela, Odisha, where approximately ₹6 lakh was withdrawn from a person's bank account using a fake e-challan. Police have arrested a bank employee in Mumbai in connection with the case.

Around Rs 6 lakh withdrawn in six UPI transactions

Shortly after opening the link, the victim's mobile phone began receiving a series of OTPs. When he checked his bank account, he discovered that six UPI transactions had been made without his permission. These transactions withdrew approximately ₹5.99 lakh from his account. Following the incident, the victim filed a police complaint. Rourkela police subsequently began investigating his bank accounts and digital records related to his financial transactions.

Fake invoice was sent on WhatsApp.

A Rourkela resident received a traffic e-challan message on WhatsApp around 10:30 pm on May 30. It claimed that a fine had been imposed on his vehicle and that he would need to pay Rs 500 at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to pay the fine.

The message also included a link. The victim, thinking it was a government invoice message, opened it. This downloaded an APK file onto his mobile phone, which was then used by cybercriminals to commit fraud.

How to avoid such fake messages?

Don't download APK files from unknown WhatsApp links. Use only official government portals for invoice information. Don't share OTPs received on your mobile phone. Immediately report suspicious transactions to your bank or the cybercrime helpline 1930.

HDFC Bank employee arrested from Mumbai

During the investigation, police arrested Chetan Sharad Kurhade, 35, a resident of the Kalachowki area in Mumbai. According to police, the accused was an employee in the insurance division of HDFC Bank.

Police are now searching for his four other accomplices involved in this cyber fraud. Investigating agencies are working to determine which accounts the fraudulent funds were transferred to and whether this gang has links to other cases.