KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 29
Nepal Police have arrested five people for their alleged involvement in getting illegal access to the 'One Time Password' famously known as OTP code of eSewa of general people and robbing them off millions of rupees.
Among the arrested are Nabinit Kumar Kuswaha, 26, Kanhaiya Kumar Kuswaha, 21, Dipendra Kumar Yadab, 19, Avay Kumar Yadab, 20, and Ritesh Kuswaha, 21, from different areas of Rautahat district.
All the accused swindlers were arrested from different places of Rautahat with the help of Kathmandu Police Range. They are currently under judicial custody in Kathmandu.
The accused used to contact people saying they were the officials of eSewa company. They would lure the people saying that the company had various offers for them. They would ask them to link eSewa ID with their bank account, update their account and other services.
The swindlers would say that the people would receive certain money back into their account if they abided by their request.
Some gullible people would then give their OTP code believing that the phone calls they received were from officials of eSewa company.
However, the thugs upon getting the OTP code would instantly transfer the money into their account.
A total of 18 people reached the office separately complaining that their money was looted. After investigation, police came to know that the people used to work in groups to gather information of general people.
Police concluded that the group of five people stole Rs 1.5 million from laymen, mostly residing in rural Tarai. This is a classic case how thugs steal money through online banking system. Police and government have been repeatedly issuing public messages to not share their OTP code with other people. However, public, including educated ones across the county, time and again become victims of the scam.
A version of this article appears in the print on October 30, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
