Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
In Ishwardi, fraudsters are continuing to take away the allowances meant for widows and the elderly. In the past, there have been incidents of snatching the allowances of more than three hundred disabled people from different areas. This time fraudsters have become active to grab the allowance money of helpless widows and elderly people. In the past few days, about half a hundred women and men of widows and elderly beneficiaries have lodged complaints with the Upazila Social Service Office and Police Station. Beneficiaries are being harassed while withdrawing the allowance of elderly, widows and disabled due to various reasons including wrong mobile numbers due to incompetent people making Bkash and cash accounts at the time of registration.
It is known that the fraudsters are taking advantage of the ignorance and naivety of the helpless widow women and the elderly in the village area. The gang has been learning someone’s allowance account numbers and account PIN code and tricks them almost every day. Victims reported that mobile banking account numbers were hacked and allowances were withdrawn. Beneficiaries said that most of the cardholders give the secret PIN code of their mobile account number to the agents while withdrawing money.
According to upazila social service office, apart from the municipal area, fraud gangs are active in various villages of Sahapur, Pakshi, Salimpur, Lakshikunda, Sara, Dashuria and Muladuli Union. Fraud gangs steal the information of the mobile banking accounts through which the beneficiaries receive the allowance money and they cheat the people, especially the widows and the old, withdrawing all their money.
It has been found out in various areas that members of the fraudulent gang are stealing money from widows and bank allowances every day. There has been an incident of embezzlement of the allowance money of more than three hundred beneficiaries of different areas including Kalam of Bharimari village, Abdul Halim of Kaikunda.
Fraudsters called Amirul Islam, an old man of Sahapur village, on his mobile and asked for the number and pin of the senior allowance card. In a simple mind he told the number through his grandson. Then go to the mobile banking local agent shop to withdraw the money. At this time he came to know that there is no money in the account. Calling that scammer number shows busy.
