Phagwara Resident Duped in Online Scam, Police Track Bank Account in Ferozepur

In a major case of cyber fraud in Punjab, police have registered a case involving a scam of over ₹23.12 lakh, where a local resident was allegedly duped by unidentified individuals posing as foreign contacts through digital communication platforms. The case has been registered under Sections 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code. According to the complaint filed by Tarsem Singh, a resident of Kabirpur, the incident dates back to January 22. He reported receiving WhatsApp calls from unknown international numbers. The callers, claiming to be from Canada, allegedly lured him into a financial trap by promising to transfer a large sum of money. The complainant stated that the accused used mobile numbers +19029372852 and +15064068565 to contact him. They later sent a fake transaction receipt of HSBC Bank, which showed that ₹23,12,890 had been credited to his account. This false document was used to gain his trust. Believing the claim to be genuine, Tarsem Singh was misled into transferring ₹4,85,000 to another bank account provided by the accused. It was later discovered that no such amount had been credited to his account, confirming that he had fallen victim to a cyber fraud. During the investigation, police initiated action under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and issued a notice to Union Bank of India to obtain details of the beneficiary account. Inquiry revealed that the account number 308102010060560 (IFSC: UBIN0530816), where the money was transferred, is registered in the name of Swaran Singh, a resident of village Shanga Khurd. Based on these findings, police have formally registered a case against the accused and launched further investigation to identify those involved and uncover the broader network behind the fraud. Officials have once again urged the public to remain cautious against online scams, especially unsolicited international calls, fake transaction receipts, and requests for immediate money transfers.