📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Meet.arpit99
Crime
PNB Defrauded of ₹55 Lakh via Fake RTGS Link on WhatsApp in Mohali
✍️ Amar Ujala · Mohali
🗓 30 Sep 2026, 02:46 AM
👁 10
Punjab National Bank reported a loss of ₹55 lakh after a fake RTGS request was circulated on WhatsApp, targeting a customer in Mohali.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) disclosed that a fraudulent RTGS transaction worth ₹55 lakh was executed after a fake payment link was shared on WhatsApp. The scam involved a customer in Mohali who, believing the link to be authentic, initiated the transfer, resulting in the loss.
Bank officials have lodged a formal complaint with local police and are cooperating with cyber‑crime investigators to trace the perpetrators. Preliminary checks suggest the fraudsters used a spoofed sender ID to make the message appear credible.
Authorities have warned the public to verify any financial instructions received through messaging apps and to contact the bank directly before processing large transfers. The investigation remains ongoing, and PNB is reviewing its security protocols to prevent similar incidents.
The incident underscores the growing risk of digital fraud in India, especially as more users rely on instant messaging platforms for financial communications.
Bank officials have lodged a formal complaint with local police and are cooperating with cyber‑crime investigators to trace the perpetrators. Preliminary checks suggest the fraudsters used a spoofed sender ID to make the message appear credible.
Authorities have warned the public to verify any financial instructions received through messaging apps and to contact the bank directly before processing large transfers. The investigation remains ongoing, and PNB is reviewing its security protocols to prevent similar incidents.
The incident underscores the growing risk of digital fraud in India, especially as more users rely on instant messaging platforms for financial communications.