Indian fraudsters set up fake State Bank of India, scam citizens

In India, some fraudsters successfully deceived citizens for ten days by establishing a fake branch of the country's largest bank, the State Bank of India.

According to Indian media, the fraudsters set up a fake State Bank of India branch and tricked people into giving them large sums of money under the pretense of offering stable jobs.

Residents of the village of Chhapora in Chhattisgarh state were surprised to see an SBI branch opening in their modest locality, although some initially had suspicions.

Many viewed it as a chance for stable, well-paying employment. Pinto Dhruwe, a 25-year-old, was one of six people who managed to secure a job as a cashier at the newly opened SBI branch, paying the fraudsters 580,000 rupees ($6,900) for the position.

While there were some "red flags," such as unclear job descriptions and the absence of employee identification cards, the SBI logo at the entrance, a 1,000-square-foot workspace, brand new furnishings, and an operational bank counter reassured citizens that the branch was legitimate.