Retired defence ministry official defrauded of Rs 85,000 in ATM scam in Delhi's Dwarka

NEW DELHI: Gurdas, an 80-year-old retired senior citizen from the Ministry of Defence, fell victim to an ATM card swap scam on the morning of October 1, 2024, losing Rs 84,988.87. The incident took place around 10:15 AM at a YES Bank ATM on Shukra Bazaar Road of Binda Pur police station area of Delhi's Dwarka district. Gurdas recounted how, while attempting to withdraw cash using his Punjab National Bank (PNB) ATM card, an unknown young man offered to help. During the interaction, the man swapped Gurdas' card with another, unnoticed by the victim.

At 10:33 AM, Gurdas received a bank alert indicating unauthorised transactions. The fraudster had made a purchase of Rs 59,986.87 at a Dev Supermarket via POS swipe, followed by ATM withdrawals of Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000. This incident echoes a similar case earlier in April, when the Delhi Police arrested four fraudsters in Outer Delhi’s Sultan Puri area. These individuals were part of a gang targeting senior citizens at ATMs by offering assistance and swapping their cards. Despite filing a complaint, Gurdas alleged that the police had not registered an FIR, even after three days. The delay has raised concerns about the promptness of police action in such cases.

When Millennium Post spoke to police officials about the incident, they assured that they would look into the matter and provide all possible help to the victim. Additionally, they confirmed that they would be investigating the case by scrutinising CCTV footage from the area. Gurdas has submitted his bank statement and ATM receipts as evidence and hopes for a swift resolution to recover his lost funds. The case highlights the need for better protections for senior citizens and enhanced security at ATMs.