Cyber‑theft shakes Bank of Baroda’s Kamola branch

Customers of the Kamola neighbourhood in Kaladhungi are reeling after unauthorized debits appeared on their Bank of Baroda statements. So far, two depositors have disclosed a total loss of Rs 5 lakh, while bank officials and law‑enforcement continue to verify whether more accounts are compromised.

Account holders race to the branch after noticing strange entries

When the anomalous transactions surfaced, the victims hurried to the branch on Monday, seeking confirmation of their balances. A modest crowd gathered, many demanding reassurance that their remaining funds were safe, while others considered closing their accounts or adopting stricter security measures.

How the fraud was executed

Dharmendra Kumar of Vijaypur Dhamola recounted receiving a WhatsApp message that mimicked a bank cashier. The text instructed him to install a purported “secure” application, after which two separate withdrawals of Rs 2 lakh each were debited, erasing Rs 4 lakh from his account.

Another victim, Rani Devi from Dhamola, reported a loss of Rs 1 lakh under identical circumstances, claiming the same WhatsApp‑based ploy was used.

“I trusted the message because it looked official. Within minutes my money was gone,” Dharmendra told investigators.

Police and cyber‑crime units are now tracing the digital footprints to determine whether a single perpetrator is behind both incidents.

Bank’s reaction and law‑enforcement involvement

Branch manager Ankit Kumar confirmed that the incident has been reported to the local police station and the cyber‑cell. The bank is auditing transaction logs and reviewing security protocols surrounding the disputed withdrawals.

Authorities have launched a formal probe, scrutinising the affected accounts and cross‑checking transaction patterns for any signs of additional victims.

Steps being taken in the investigation

Kotwali SSI Pankaj Joshi explained that his team is validating each complaint, analysing timestamps, IP addresses and the content of the suspicious WhatsApp messages. The goal is to pinpoint the culprits, recover the stolen funds and assess whether the same method has been replicated elsewhere.

What lies ahead for the affected customers?

Clients are urging Bank of Baroda to reinforce its digital security, upgrade authentication mechanisms and circulate clear guidance on recognising phishing attempts. They also seek prompt reimbursement of the lost amounts and assurances that similar breaches will not happen again.