PNB fraud fears put urgent focus on the steps customers must take after unauthorised transactions

As customers allege that nearly Rs 35 crore went missing from accounts at a Greater Noida branch, experts urge victims to block access, complain in writing and report digital frauds immediately.

The alleged fraud at a Punjab National Bank branch in Greater Noida, which customers say has left nearly Rs 35 crore missing from accounts, has become a stark reminder of how quickly unauthorised transactions can unsettle household finances. According to News24 Online, affected account holders say they did not receive SMS alerts about the activity, while PNB has suspended five employees, including the branch manager, and police have opened an investigation.

For customers caught up in such cases, speed matters as much as the complaint itself. Adhil Shetty, chief executive of BankBazaar, told NDTV that the first move should be to contact the bank immediately through its official helpline, branch, or app and ask for cards, UPI access, or net banking to be blocked if needed. The aim, he said, is to stop further losses before trying to establish exactly how the fraud happened.

Shetty also stressed that a phone call is not enough. He advised customers to lodge a written complaint, keep the reference number, and save transaction details and any written acknowledgement. That step can be crucial because Reserve Bank of India rules may limit a customer’s liability in some cases, including certain third-party breaches reported within three working days of the bank alerting the account holder to the transaction. But those protections are not automatic, and liability can still fall on the customer if negligence, such as sharing payment credentials, played a part.

If the fraud appears to involve digital payments or cybercrime, the next step is to report it to the National Cyber Crime Helpline on 1930 and, where possible, file a complaint through the government’s reporting portal. Legal updates published by LawChakra say customers should also preserve every piece of evidence, including statements, alerts, screenshots, complaint numbers and correspondence with the bank, because those records can help establish when the loss occurred and how the bank responded.

Should the bank fail to resolve the matter within 30 days, or if the reply is unsatisfactory, customers can take the complaint to the RBI Ombudsman under the central bank’s grievance process. That route, however, is not a guaranteed refund mechanism; its outcome depends on the facts and whether the case meets the scheme’s eligibility and time-limit requirements. For families confronting a sudden disappearance of savings, the message from consumer-finance advisers is clear: report fast, document everything and escalate without delay if the bank does not act.