Police in Patna have arrested four men linked to a sophisticated scam that used near-identical fake bank customer-care numbers to siphon off over ₹3 crore, exposing a wider cybercrime network targeting bank customers across Bihar.
Police in Patna say a fraud ring built a business around a deceptively simple trick: making fake bank customer-care numbers that looked almost identical to the real thing. People searching for help online were steered to the bogus numbers, then persuaded by callers posing as bank staff to hand over sensitive details that allowed money to be taken from their accounts. Investigators say the losses now identified exceed ₹3 crore.
According to Patna cyber police and the state cybercrime and security unit, four men have been arrested in connection with the case: Pratosh Kumar, Guddu Kumar, Anshu Kumar and Vicky Kumar. All four have been sent to judicial custody. Police say the group’s method relied on tiny changes to official helpline numbers, often dropping the leading digit from an 11-digit customer-care line to create a near-identical 10-digit mobile number. In one example cited by investigators, 18605005555 was mirrored as 8605005555, while 18604195555 was copied as 8604195555.
The probe suggests the gang did not rely only on the fake numbers themselves. Police say the accused also tried to manipulate Google Business Profile listings and Google Maps entries tied to bank branches and ATMs, apparently so that searches for customer-care help would surface their numbers first. Investigators believe they also used online advertisements to boost visibility. Once victims called, the fraudsters allegedly posed as bank employees and used standard pretexts such as credit-card limit increases, reward-point redemptions or electricity bill updates to win trust.
Authorities say the operation had reach well beyond a single complaint. Police have linked 385 grievances on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal to mobile numbers associated with the arrested men, suggesting a wider network may be involved. The arrests began after one bank customer reported being cheated; technical tracing led officers to Kankarbagh in Patna, where Pratosh Kumar was picked up, before further arrests in Nalanda and then again in Kankarbagh. Police say Vicky Kumar played a key role in arranging the fake, near-matching numbers.
Officers also recovered five mobile phones, five SIM cards, a cheque book and documents linked to bank accounts. They are now examining how the suspects obtained special-number connections and whether telecom shop operators or employees helped them. The investigation has also widened to districts including Patna, Nalanda, Gaya and Sheikhpura. Police have urged customers to verify any customer-care number only through a bank’s official website or app and to avoid sharing OTPs, UPI PINs, CVV details, card PINs or passwords with anyone. Anyone hit by cyber fraud should call 1930 immediately.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
