1 click on loan ad, Rs 17 lakh extorted: fraud forces banker to leave Mumbai

A 37-year-old relationship manager working for an international bank in Mumbai became the target of an instant loan extortion scam after clicking on an online loan advertisement in April 2025. An Account Aggregator window appeared, an OTP was automatically fetched, and a small sum was credited to his account without his consent. This began a year of escalating harassment, stalking, and public humiliation by callers demanding exorbitant repayments.

The victim was subjected to continuous threats, physical assaults at his home and workplace, morphed photographs of his wife, and threats against his children. To pay off the demands, he borrowed from 19 different loan apps and took money from family members, eventually paying Rs 17.6 lakh while the suspects claimed he still owed more. The constant trauma caused severe distress to his family, forcing them into near-total isolation.

After initial complaints to local and cyber police allegedly yielded little immediate action, the victim confided in his mother in May 2026. Through family connections, the case reached a senior Crime Branch official. On May 25, 2026, Mumbai Crime Branch officers set up an undercover trap inside the victim's apartment and arrested six suspects following a 12-hour operation.

Not yet reported: The articles do not specify the subsequent judicial proceedings or court rulings following the arrests of the six suspects.