HAL staff duped of Rs.3 lakh in net banking

LUCKNOW, INDIA: A senior manager posted at the local unit of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) has been duped of Rs.3.16 lakh through net banking.

While the officer, Ravi Prakash, detected the fraud about a week ago, it was only as late as Tuesday that the cops agreed to register his first information report (FIR) at the Ghazipur police station.

"I received a call on my phone, claiming that it was from the Punjab National Bank where I have my account; after telling me that there was some problem with the operational systems, the caller asked me to follow his instructions on my system; and the moment I clicked certain keys on my computer, his purpose was served as he apparently got access to my account," Prakash said.

"I had no clue about what he was up to, and realized that I was duped only after I had lost Rs.3.16 lakh, leaving me penniless," he added.

The money was transferred to some fake account in Madurai from where it was withdrawn through different ATMs.

Local policemen were, however, groping in the dark.

"We are not equipped to deal with such cases involving net banking, so we will transfer the case to the Special Task Force (STF)," a Lucknow police officer said.

©IANS