Navi Mumbai Man Loses Rs 40,000 After Phone Theft Leads to Unauthorized Bank Transfer
Navi Mumbai, 4th July 2024: In a costly turn of events, a 23-year-old man from Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, lost Rs 40,000 after misplacing his phone, which lacked a screen lock. The complainant, Shashank Shinde, accidentally dropped his phone while riding his bike on June 25. Subsequently, he discovered unauthorized access to his bank account, with Rs 35,645 transferred out after someone applied for an instant personal loan of Rs 40,000. Shinde reported the incident to Nhava Sheva police on Saturday, leading to a case being registered against the unidentified perpetrator under charges of cheating and sections of the IT Act.
As a software engineer, Shinde alleged that the individual who found his phone used his SIM card to log into banking apps and obtain the necessary OTP for the loan application.
“The absence of a screen lock facilitated the misuse, allowing the accused to either directly use the phone for the loan application or exploit the SIM card,” explained senior police inspector Anjum Bagwan from Nhava Sheva police station. “We have identified the recipient account details where the transferred funds ended up and are actively tracing the account holder. Once apprehended, we expect to clarify the situation further.”
This incident highlights the risks associated with not securing mobile devices and underscores the importance of implementing robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access and financial losses.
