Pensioner Swindled Out of Rs 2.4 Million in Sophisticated Banking Scam

A 70-year-old retiree has been defrauded of nearly Rs 2.4 million after being targeted by a fraudster posing as a bank official in a high-tech “vishing” attack.

The victim, a resident of Butte-aux-Papayes, was at his home in the Domaine de Belle-Vue estate on Wednesday, 6 May, when he was contacted via a Google Meet video call.

The scammers utilised a reputable bank’s logo and a convincing official email address to deceive the pensioner into believing the communication was legitimate.

The Deception

During the 9:30 am call, a man identifying himself as a bank representative claimed that the victim’s accounts were currently being hacked.

He insisted that immediate action was required to “secure” the retiree’s funds.

Under the guise of protection, the fraudster persuaded the victim to:

• Disclose confidential information related to two separate bank accounts.
• Authorise multiple transactions to a “secure account” supposedly set up to shield his money.

Financial Impact

The victim carried out several transfers amounting to Rs 768,000 and €29,196.96. Based on current exchange rates, the total loss is estimated at Rs 2,373,762.

Discovery and Investigation

The retiree only became suspicious after the transactions were completed.

He immediately travelled to a bank branch in Grand-Baie for verification, where staff confirmed the funds had already been debited from his accounts.

The matter has been reported to the authorities, and investigators have been provided with two bank statements to assist in their enquiry into the sophisticated fraud.

Source: l”Express