An 82-year-old man in Bengaluru was scammed out of ₹3.49 lakh by fraudsters impersonating Election Commission of India (ECI) officials during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. The SIR process is currently underway in Karnataka and several other states, prompting increased vigilance among voters, according to livemint.com.
The fraudsters contacted R Parthasarathy, the victim, claiming they were ECI officials verifying his SIR form. They convinced him to transfer the money under the pretense of completing the verification process. This case highlights the tactics used by scammers who exploit ongoing government initiatives to deceive citizens, as detailed by livemint.com.
The scam underscores growing concerns over fraudulent activities linked to electoral roll revisions. Similar scams have been reported during government verification drives, emphasizing the need for public awareness and caution. The Election Commission has repeatedly warned voters to verify official communications and avoid sharing personal or financial information with unknown callers, per livemint.com.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident, and the Election Commission has urged citizens to report suspicious calls related to SIR verification. The scam involving ₹3.49 lakh loss to an elderly voter in Bengaluru serves as a cautionary example ahead of further electoral roll updates in Karnataka and other states.