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ATM Misuse

by Pravia K Nagaraj
(Bangalore)

A colleague of mine is a person who hears a lot of songs and keeps working. He is a multi talented person, who hears songs and does his work also in the best way possible.


One day when the work load was very low, he sat hearing to the best songs that he could. But the situation reversed when he gets a call in his mobile. This call made him get up from his seat and stop the songs that were running in the background. He walks towards the pantry area. Enquires what's the issue? The call was from his father..

Father replies- "John, I have got into a trouble."

John enquires again,-"Pa, tell what is the issue?"

John's father replies - "John, you know I was in a hurry today to reach my native, as your grand mother was not keeping well."

John acknowledges and tells-"Yes, I know. But tell me what is the problem?"

John's father tells -"In that hurry, I was trying to complete my tasks in my office as soon as possible.. But at the same time I got a call from the bank telling:"Hi your ATM card is very old, and needs to be changed very soon. As the bank is cancelling the old cards please tell me your ATM card number. If you agree to get a new card else, your old card will be of no use".

And you know when I heard this I told him, "I agree to get a new card. And told him my ATM card number."

John says- "Ok, fine no issues"

John's Father interrupts, "No, but that did not end there, he told me- I will be getting an OTP to agree to this. So once I get the OTP number he asked me to tell the number."

John tells- "What? No bank will ask us our OTP number right?"

John's Father sadly replies - "Yes, but in that hurry I did not think about it and had shared the OTP number to the stranger."

John interrupts again -"What? Papa you should not have told that. Did they withdraw any amount from your ATM now?"

John's Father replies -"Yes, They have done an online purchase of Rs.20,000. I am feeling very bad that I was so foolish. I am feeling ashamed about it thinking how will I tell this to someone. How will I get information on what am I supposed to do next?"

John consoles his father-"It's ok Papa, this happens to most of us during urgency. However it was your own mistake. At first let us block your card. Else they can misuse it again."

John immediately logs into his machine and blocks his father's
ATM card.

Then John calls up again to his father and tells him- "Papa, your card is blocked now. However, it will be good if we can give a police complaint."

John's father replies-"Son, I feel shameful to narrate this incident."

John consoles his father by telling-"It's ok Papa, these incidents have become common these days. But if we think it as shameful and don't report it to the police more people may fall prey into this ATM misuse. So we should make a step ahead to catch these Fraudsters. Please don't tell "no"."

John's Father hesitantly tells-"Ok, let's do as you wish."

John accompanies his father to the police station, and enquires the police man, "I want to register a police complaint. Where can I register the complaint?"

The police man takes them to the other police man and tells them-"You can lodge your complaint here."

The police man enquires- "What is the complaint regarding?"

They narrate the incident to the police man.

The police man tells them-"There is no use of giving a complaint. You won't be getting the amount back as this is an incident that is happening from outside the state. And such incidents are happening everyday."

John a bit angered by his statement tells the police man-"I know this is a everyday incidence, but I want such fraudsters to be caught red handed. We need to teach them a lesson. If no complaints are registered and no action is taken to stop this, such incidents will happen more in number. I don't want the money back. But I also don't want more victims like us."

Hearing these statements the police man accepts to register the complaint.

After reporting the complaint the father and son go to the bank and the son narrates the incident there as well. But the reaction in the Bank also had no difference from that of the Police station. And now you know what John would have done.

He had again done the same thing what he had done in the police station. And the complaint is registered in the cyber cell now.

John's father learnt a lesson that he should never share his ATM pin number or OTP in whatsoever emergency situation it is. Also narrated his story to one and everyone he knows and told them he did this mistake, but at least this should not happen to others.

John and his father prayed that -"the fraudsters should be caught very soon."

We all know these incidents are happening every day. But still due to some emergency we always become prey to such troubles. If we take a few moments to analyze such issues then we can avoid such incidents.



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