Tezzbuzz Desk – Cybercriminals have become more cunning than ever before. They are targeting people’s bank accounts and credit cards without even asking for OTP, PIN, or card details. This time, Bollywood actress Kirti Kulhari has become the victim of cyber fraud, whose credit card was fraudulently defrauded of approximately ₹2.43 lakh . Surprisingly, the actress claims that she did not share her OTP, PIN, or banking details with anyone.
Received a bank alert while going to watch a movie
This incident reportedly occurred on the night of July 24th . Kirti Kulhari was on her way to a movie theater in Mumbai’s Andheri area when she received a transaction alert from her bank on her mobile phone. The message stated that a payment of US$2,525 (approximately ₹2.1 lakh) had been made from her credit card to the Mexican airline Aeromexico . Upon reading the message, she realized she had been defrauded, as she had not made any such payment. She immediately contacted the bank’s customer service.
When bank officials checked the card’s transaction history, they discovered that this wasn’t just a single transaction. The fraudsters had used the card four times at different times, withdrawing a total of ₹2.43 lakh . The bank immediately blocked the credit card to prevent further losses.
How did the fraud happen without OTP and PIN?
The most shocking thing about this case is that the cardholder neither shared the OTP with anyone nor disclosed the PIN. Initial investigations suggest that cybercriminals may have obtained the card information through some technical means. Possible reasons include online theft of card data (Card Data Theft), leakage of information from a website or app, presence of malware in the phone or device, misuse of card details during international online transactions. Currently, the police and cyber experts are investigating all aspects.
Based on Kirti Kulhari’s complaint, Mumbai Police have registered a case against unknown suspects. The cyber cell is investigating banking records, digital trails, and technical aspects of the transaction to determine how such a large sum of money was withdrawn without sharing any sensitive information.
How to keep your card safe
According to cyber security experts, some precautions are very important to avoid online fraud.
- Always keep transaction alerts on in your bank account.
- Keep the facility of international transactions closed if not needed.
- Avoid entering card information on any unknown website.
- Keep your banking app and phone updated regularly.
- As soon as you notice a suspicious transaction, immediately block the card and inform the bank.
This incident involving Kirti Kulhari demonstrates that cybercriminals no longer rely solely on OTPs or PINs. New technologies allow them to misuse card information. In such a situation, the best defense is to remain vigilant, monitor bank alerts, and take timely action.