A Mumbai-based doctor recently fell victim to an online scam that cost him nearly Rs. 11 lakh after he unknowingly shared personal details during a fake e-SIM upgrade process. The case has raised new concerns over growing cyber fraud involving mobile service impersonation.
The Call That Led to the Fraud
The incident occurred in September when the South Mumbai doctor received a call from someone claiming to be a representative of his telecom provider. The caller informed him about an ongoing process to upgrade physical SIM cards to e-SIMs and offered to guide him through the procedure. Believing the call to be genuine, the doctor opened his telecom operator’s official app and followed the instructions given over the phone.
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Soon after, he received a one-time password (OTP), which he shared with the caller upon request. The fraudster reassured him that his physical SIM would be deactivated and replaced with an e-SIM within 24 hours. However, two days later, the doctor found his email account password had been changed. By then, over Rs. 10.5 lakh had been transferred from his bank account to multiple others.
Following the complaint, the Mumbai Police cyber cell began investigating and traced the money trail. Officers later arrested a hospital office boy from Pune, who had allegedly allowed his bank account to be used for transferring the stolen funds. The police believe he acted as a conduit for the main culprits, who are yet to be identified.
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How the e-SIM Scam Operates
An e-SIM is a digital version of a SIM card integrated into a smartphone or smartwatch. It allows users to activate mobile plans without inserting a physical card. In e-SIM scams, fraudsters pose as telecom employees and claim that the user’s SIM needs an upgrade. They trick victims into sharing OTPs or clicking on fake links. Once they capture the OTP, they activate a duplicate e-SIM on their own device, gaining full access to the victim’s phone number, messages, and banking information.
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Safety Measures for Users
Authorities, including the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), have advised users to remain cautious while dealing with calls or messages related to SIM upgrades. People should never share OTPs over calls or messages and must verify such requests directly with their telecom providers. In case of suspected fraud, users should immediately contact their service operator and report the matter on cybercrime.gov.in.
