A moment of panic and trust proved costly for a 26-year-old man in Bengaluru, who was allegedly duped of Rs 50,000 by a stranger inside an ATM kiosk in Banashankari, after he attempted to urgently send
money for his mother’s medical treatment, said a Times Of India report.
According to a complaint filed with the police, Shivaprakash, an employee at a private firm and a resident of Banashankari II Stage, had rushed to an ATM on 9th Main Road on the evening of April 3 after receiving distressing news from his elder brother, Mahendra. Their mother, Bhuma, had been hospitalised in their native village in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvannamalai district, and immediate financial assistance was required for her treatment.
Pressed for time, Shivaprakash reportedly arranged Rs 50,000 through his wife, who withdrew the amount from her chit fund. He then headed to the State Bank of India ATM to transfer the money without delay.
While he was inside the kiosk between 7:10 pm-7:30 pm, a man in his 30s approached him and struck up a conversation, as per the TOI report. Sensing Shivaprakash’s anxiety, the stranger offered to help after learning about the urgent need to transfer funds.
In what police describe as a calculated move, the accused suggested transferring the money via a digital payment platform, claiming his own debit card was not functioning. Trusting the offer amid the emergency, Shivaprakash handed over the cash and shared his brother’s PhonePe details for the transfer.
Within minutes, the stranger reportedly claimed the transaction had been completed and even showed a screenshot as proof before quickly leaving the kiosk after sharing his mobile number.
However, the relief was short-lived. On contacting his brother, Shivaprakash discovered that no money had been credited to the account. By the time he attempted to trace the accused, the man had disappeared. Calls to the number initially went unanswered, and when contact was eventually made, the accused allegedly issued threats, warning him against pursuing the matter further.
Police officials said the suspect used a fabricated transaction screenshot, possibly generated using AI tools, to convince the victim that the payment had been made.
Based on the complaint, a case has been registered at Banashankari police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of forgery, cheating, use of forged electronic records, and criminal intimidation.
Investigators are currently analysing CCTV footage from the ATM kiosk and nearby areas to identify and apprehend the accused.
