He Said “Hello”: Then, He Lost All Money from Bank!

A school bus driver borrowed money, pledged his wife’s ornaments, and dreamed of a better future. Then a mysterious phone call changed everything.

Martin and wife share the incident to TV reporter (Media One)

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3 May 2026

“Money is news. Money loss is news,” a professor said in my journalism class.

He was right. For the last several years, I have read news about money loss. Common people lose money every day. Cybercriminals steal money using different tactics.

I read these stories for two reasons. I can be more cautious and take more preventive steps.

Cybercriminals are updating their cheating methods regularly.

When one method becomes old, they come up with a new one.

I alert my wife, son, and daughter about cyber frauds.

We learn from other people’s mistakes and experiences.

I write posts to alert my readers also.

Awareness is one of the best defenses in the field of cybersecurity.

Here is another story.

Martin was travelling to Delhi by train with his son.

He had a plan to buy a vehicle to create a side income.

He is a school bus driver in Kerala.

He collected more than 3 lakhs by borrowing money and pledging his wife’s ornaments.

He received a phone call.

He said, “Hello.”

No answer from the other end. Silence.

He repeatedly said, “Hello. Hello…” No answer.

He cut the phone.

After a few minutes, he started receiving OTPs.

Money started getting withdrawn.

1 lakh, 2 lakhs, and 10,000 ten times.

He saw the transactions helplessly.

His son told him to call the Bank of India, Marad branch.

He called the bank. They blocked the transaction.

But the money was gone.

His wife approached the cyber cell and filed a complaint.

Martin returned and filed a police complaint.

His money went to an Axis Bank account and then to a credit card. Some money was spent on rent and buying petrol, police informed them.

“Police said getting back the money is difficult. Bank officials are not giving any assurance. I am an ordinary man. I don’t know what to do next. My bad luck…” Martin told a News TV reporter.

He did not know what went wrong.

A few days earlier, he had checked the OLX website for vehicle details and called some people.

He did not remember anything more.

It is a painful story. But not the last story.

Cybercrime is an organised crime with international links.

It uses new technology with a lot of human resources and infrastructure.

Here, the phone may have been hacked by criminals earlier by sending some video links or by some other means.

What Might Be Happened.

I did some research for the possible reasons. Here is an answer given by ChatGPT.

“The phone call itself probably did not steal Martin’s money. Cybercriminals may have already gained access to his phone through a malicious link, fake app, phishing website, or a fraudulent OLX interaction.

The call could have been used to verify that the phone number was active or to distract him while unauthorized transactions were taking place. Once criminals gained access to banking details and OTPs, they were able to transfer the money quickly.”

How to Protect Yourself

• Never install apps sent through SMS, WhatsApp, or social media by strangers.
• Avoid clicking unknown links, even if they appear related to a product you are interested in buying.
• Never share OTPs, PINs, or banking passwords with anyone.
• Download apps only from official app stores.
• Keep your phone’s operating system and security software updated.
• Enable transaction alerts and check your bank account regularly.
• If you suspect fraud, immediately contact your bank and report the incident to the cybercrime helpline.

Awareness is one of the strongest weapons against cybercrime. Learning from other people’s experiences can help us to avoid become another victim.