Patna: Cybercriminals in Patna are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics, including AI-powered voice cloning, to deceive unsuspecting victims. In a recent spate of cases, 17 individuals have fallen prey to cyber fraud, with losses exceeding Rs 16 lakh. All cases have been registered at the Patna Cyber Police Station.
One of the most concerning trends involves fraudsters using AI to mimic the voices of victims’ acquaintances. Raj Bhavan photographer Vinod Kumar Gupta became a victim when he received a call from someone claiming to be his officer. The caller explained that they were unable to transfer money to an acquaintance and requested Gupta’s assistance. Gupta received a fake SMS purportedly confirming the money transfer and subsequently transferred Rs 24,000 to the designated account. He only realized he had been defrauded after contacting his officer directly.
Shyam Sundar Saraf of Kankarbagh also fell victim to this tactic. He received a call from someone impersonating his friend’s brother-in-law, who claimed his relative was undergoing emergency heart surgery. An SMS followed, seemingly confirming the transfer of funds. Believing the message to be genuine, Saraf transferred Rs 1.50 lakh to the fraudulent account.
Other Notable Cases
- Bacchu Saav of Parsa Bazaar: Lost Rs 5.57 lakh after receiving a call from someone posing as an ICICI Bank employee. The caller claimed to deactivate an insurance plan on Saav’s credit card, but instead, obtained his OTP and fraudulently secured a loan of Rs 4.61 lakh. Subsequent withdrawals totaled Rs 4.97 lakh.
- Sunny Kumar (Barh): Lost Rs 1.35 lakh.
- Nayan Uday (AG Colony): Lost Rs 78,000.
- Mohan Kumar (Yarpur): Lost Rs 54,860.
- Virendra Thakur (Mahavir Colony): Lost Rs 53,700.
- Mukesh Kumar (Athmalgola): Lost Rs 30,000.
- Bam Shankar (Digha): Lost Rs 30,000.
- Shikha (Danapur): Lost Rs 26,000.
- Pintu Kumar (Kankarbagh): Lost Rs 3.26 lakh after sharing his Aadhar and PAN details.
- Ranjan Kumar (Ramakrishnanagar): Lost Rs 45,000 after receiving a fraudulent call from someone posing as an electricity officer.
- Md. Mahfooz Alam (Phulwari): Lost Rs 32,000 due to a fraudulent gas connection disconnection threat.
- Saurabh Raj (Buddha Colony): Lost Rs 25,000 after being deceived by a false gas connection disconnection threat.
Rising Concerns over AI-Powered Fraud
These cases highlight the growing sophistication of cybercrime tactics, with the emergence of AI-powered voice cloning posing a significant challenge to law enforcement. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution when receiving calls or messages from unknown numbers, especially those requesting financial transactions.
