Hyderabad police warn of hybrid cyber fraud targeting senior citizens

Hyderabad police have warned of a hybrid cyber fraud involving mobile phone theft and social engineering. Criminals target senior citizens, steal phones after observing passwords and later obtain sensitive data to reset banking credentials, UPI PINs and transfer funds

Hyderabad: City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar has warned citizens about a new form of hybrid cyber fraud in which criminals combine traditional mobile phone theft with sophisticated cybercrime techniques to drain victims’ bank accounts.

Investigations by the cybercrime wing revealed that organised gangs were particularly targeting senior citizens and people with limited knowledge of technology. Three suspects have so far been arrested and five mobile phones recovered from them.

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Sajjanar said gang members first identify elderly people using smartphones at bus stations, railway stations, crowded RTC buses and other public places. They observe victims entering their screen lock patterns, PINs or passwords before stealing their phones by diverting their attention.

If the stolen phone is locked, the criminals use social engineering techniques. When victims call the phone, they pose as bus conductors, drivers or good Samaritans and claim that the device has been found.

“Under the pretext of verifying ownership, they persuade victims to reveal their screen lock password. Once the phone is unlocked, the criminals search the gallery, notes, messages and WhatsApp chats for sensitive information. Photographs of debit and credit cards, Aadhaar and PAN cards, bank documents and saved PINs are collected. Using the stolen SIM card and OTPs, they reset banking passwords and UPI PINs and transfer money from the victims’ accounts,” Sajjanar said.

Police said the stolen funds are routed through digital wallets, online gaming platforms and mule accounts before being withdrawn to evade detection. The gangs operate through separate teams for identifying victims, stealing phones, obtaining passwords, transferring money and cashing out the proceeds.

Sajjanar urged citizens never to disclose screen lock passwords, OTPs or UPI PINs. Sensitive financial and identity documents should not be stored in phone galleries or notes applications.

Victims of phone theft should immediately block their SIM cards, contact banks to freeze digital banking services and block the handset through the CEIR portal, he added.