Bengaluru Man Loses ₹3.49 Lakh to Cybercriminals Posing as Election Commission Officials During Voter Roll Revision Drive

Bengaluru Man Loses ₹3.49 Lakh to Fake Election Commission Official in SIR Scam

Bengaluru, August 3: A cyber fraud incident unfolded under the limits of Jeevan Bheemanagar police station in Bengaluru, where a scammer cheated a man of over ₹3 lakh in the name of the ongoing voter list revision drive.

A fraudster contacted a man named Parthasarathi via WhatsApp, claiming to be an Election Commission of India (ECI) official. He told the victim that his previously submitted SIR (Special Intensive Revision) application had been rejected and that he needed to file a fresh application. He then sent a link for this purpose.

Trusting the caller, Parthasarathi filled in his name, address, and other personal details through the link online. The fraudster then asked for ₹5 as an application processing fee. When Parthasarathi tried to pay via credit card, the transaction reportedly failed. The scammer then sent a QR code as an alternative payment method.

After Parthasarathi scanned the QR code, a total of ₹3,49,999 was debited from his bank account in multiple stages. Upon realising he had been cheated, he filed a complaint at Jeevan Bheemanagar police station.

Warning: Scams Exploiting the SIR Drive

Cyberabad police and cybersecurity experts have issued public warnings about frauds being carried out in the name of the SIR voter roll revision. They note that scammers may:

• Call posing as Election Commission officials, Booth Level Officers (BLOs), or voter list verification teams
• Ask for personal information, documents, or OTPs
• Demand payment for SIR verification
• Send links or fake APK apps via WhatsApp

However, the public should be aware:

• The Election Commission does not charge any fee for SIR verification.
• The Election Commission does not send APK files or apps via WhatsApp.
• Voter verification does not take place via WhatsApp.

How to Stay Safe

• Do not click on links sent by unknown callers, and do not download unfamiliar apps or APK files.
• Never share your OTP, bank details, or personal documents with anyone.
• If you receive any suspicious call, immediately report it to the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in.