New Delhi, October 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
State-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) has cautioned customers against rising AI-enabled cyber frauds, including voice cloning, deepfakes and phishing attacks, warning that criminals are increasingly using sophisticated techniques to deceive people and steal money.
In a message to customers during National Cyber Security Awareness Month in October, PNB Managing Director and CEO Ashok Chandra said fraudsters were exploiting human emotions and trust to make their scams appear genuine.
“Many cyber frauds today exploit human behaviour, particularly trust, fear, urgency and everyday digital habits. Fraudsters may imitate the voice or appearance of your family members, friends, or trusted persons and create a false emergency to seek an urgent transfer of money,” Chandra said.
He warned that fraudulent emails, SMS messages and other communications could appear highly personalised and resemble genuine bank correspondence. Such messages are often designed to create panic and pressure recipients into taking immediate action without verifying their authenticity.
Amid a rise in cybercrime cases across the country, public and private sector banks are increasing investments in information technology and cybersecurity to counter emerging threats linked to advanced artificial intelligence, quantum computing risks and regulatory requirements of the Reserve Bank of India.
In a related incident, a 70-year-old man in Pune was allegedly cheated of Rs 4.81 lakh by cyber fraudsters posing a pension card registration opportunity.
The victim, Dilip Eknath Waikar, a resident of Pashan, received a WhatsApp message about pension card registration between September 8 and 9. After being instructed to open a link and enter his bank account details, Rs 4.81 lakh was fraudulently withdrawn from his account.
Following his complaint, a case was registered at Baner police station under Sections 318(4) and 318(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. No arrests have been made so far.
In a similar incident last month, a 72-year-old retired bank employee in Ahmedabad’s Makarba area reportedly lost Rs 5 lakh after clicking on a Facebook advertisement offering a pension card.
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