“Cheating customers common and regular practice,” says SBI branch manager in Kalyan

Sushil Singh

BRANCH manager of State Bank of India (SBI) in Kalyan recently gave a very irresponsible statement to his bank customer. After being cheated, when the customer contacted the branch manager, he was told: “Cheating our customer is common and regular practice.”  The manager even blamed the customer, saying he himself was responsible for being cheated and not the bank.

T R Mishra is a 63-year-old resident of Kalyan (West) and he is a retired railway station manager. He has complained (copy with ABI) to the Cyber Police in Thane demanding action in the matter.

According to the complaint, Mishra applied for the SMS alert service to SBI bank, Kalyan-Murbad road, Kalyan (West) branch, in April this year. After about a week he received a call from mobile number 9525303885 in which the caller claimed that he was one Sharma, branch manager of SBI bank, Kalyan. The caller said he wanted to confirm if Mishra had applied for SMS alert service. Mishra replied he had and after that the caller demanded his bank account number. Sharma refused to give the account number, stating there was a lot of cheating happening over the phone these days. The caller assured Mishra that he was really the branch manager and there was no cause for worry. Mishra gave him the account number. Very quickly the caller asked if he had an ATM card number. He ordered Mishra to keep the card in his hand and dictate the number on the phone. Mishra did so. As Mishra gave him the ATM card number, money started debiting from his account. Mishra asked caller what was happening and why money was being debiting from his account, the caller replied that the SMS alert was activated and the debited money would be deposited back in the account soon. Mishra disconnected after smelling something fishy. He rushed to a nearby ATM. He checked and found that Rs 31,999 was debited from his account in six transactions. The money was transferred to a Noida (Uttar Pradesh) bank account.

On the second day, Mishra approached SBI, where an employee suggested he come after three to four days. Later Mishra met branch manager and requested him to do something. But instead of showing sympathy, the manager gave an unwanted lecture to him. He said such cheating of customers was common in his bank — if you have given a key to the thief, he will sure loot your home. He also said that recently a handicapped man was cheated of Rs 75,000 and that Mishra should be thankful his stolen money was only Rs 32,000, less than the handicapped man’s loss.

“Manager ne mujhse kaha ki aisi-waisi cheating to unke bank me common hai. Aisa to hota hi rahta hai. Isme kaun si badi baat hai. Agar tumne apne ghar ki chabhi chor ko de di to wo chori to karega hi. Manager ne ye bhi kaha ki tumhara amount to bahut kam hai. Abhi ek handicapped customer ke saath Rs 75,000 ki cheating hui hai,” said Mishra.

On April 14, 2016, Mishra complained to the Cyber Cell of Thane police and tried to meet the top officer but failed. The worthless cyber cell officials threw his application in the dustbin and resumed their deep sleep.

Justifying their side Pradip Deshpande, assistant general manager said, I am cooperating with Cyber Cell police. This is not true that someone said to Mishra that cheating our customer is common and regular practice.

Points to be noted:
1- How cheater came to know that Mishra has applied for SMS alert. Which employee leaked it?
2- This is clearly a bank employee hand-in-glove with cheater.
3- Why did bank manager not try to find out the truth?
4- Why did bank manager not sympathize with Mishra, a customer who was a senior citizen?
5- Why did bank manager insult Mishra, stating he had given key of his house to a thief.
6- Why did bank manager not initiate any inquiry into such crime happening at his branch?
7- It gives the impression the bank manager is himself involved in the crime and so he should be behind bars.
8- Four months have passed but the cyber cell police have failed to do anything.