₹1.75 Lakh Vanishes from Farmer’s Account After ATM Card Replaced
Nagpur, India: A farmer from Subhash Nagar, Nagpur, was duped of nearly ₹1.75 lakh in a clever ATM card swap scam at the Bank of India ATM centre in Khaparkheda. The victim, Manish Namdev Wagh, has filed a complaint with the Khaparkheda police and the Cyber Cell.
Manish, who owns five acres of farmland and has leased another 40 acres in Mansar, had taken a loan of ₹1.35 lakh from the Bank of Maharashtra in Ramtek. With his total bank balance standing at ₹2.15 lakh, he stopped at the ATM on Tuesday to withdraw some cash while returning from Mansar.
The ATM centre had two machines. When Manish was unable to withdraw money from the first one, four unknown men entered. One of them suggested he try the second machine. As Manish attempted another transaction, one man distracted him by starting a conversation. During this moment, another member of the group quietly removed his card from the first machine and replaced it with a fake one.
Manish, unaware of the swap, left the ATM and continued his journey. Soon after, he started receiving SMS alerts for five consecutive withdrawals of ₹10,000 each. Realising something was wrong, he called the bank’s helpline. By then, an additional ₹1.25 lakh had already been transferred in three separate transactions (two of ₹50,000 and one of ₹25,000) to an account named Virendra Singh.
Acting quickly, Manish transferred the remaining ₹40,000 to his wife’s account to prevent further loss. The next day, he visited the bank in Ramtek to collect a transaction report and lodged a complaint with the police.
Authorities are now investigating the case and reviewing CCTV footage from the ATM centre. The incident serves as a reminder for the public to remain vigilant during ATM transactions and avoid accepting help from strangers.
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