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Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your
family members, relatives, neighbours and friends.
Help CONSUMERS in Goa to be better informed.
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GOACAN concerned about cases of Impersonation
and Fake Account holders in Nationalised Banks of Goa
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The Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN)
expresses deep concern over the recent cases of impersonation
that have surfaced in certain branches of nationalised banks in the
State of Goa wherein fake documents and incomplete procedures
have been used to open and operate bank accounts without any
intervention of the Senior level officers of these Banks. These
developments have given rise to serious questions about the
authenticity of documents & photo identification being provided,
the possible collusion of contractual staff & temporary business
executives, the relaxation of verification procedures, the source
of the money that is being deposited in these bank accounts and
the role of the auditors of these banks.
>From information gathered through investigations by GOACAN
volunteers, the modus operandi adopted by the impersonator was
to initially bring some 'good accounts' to the Bank to gain the
confidence of the Managerial staff of the Bank and later compromise
the verification procedures to be followed when opening new accounts.
Poor quality photocopies of a PAN Card, together with photographs
of an individual whose identity is not verified and a cheque issued from
another bank are the basic documents attached to the account
opening form.
The impersonator operates on the basis of delay in getting the actual
verification done by not producing the 'real account holder' and if the
matter creates any suspicion then the account is quickly dried out by
withdrawing all the money and letting the account close for want of
minimum balance. This operation could last for a period of one month
to six months depending on how alert the supervisory staff of the Bank
could be to act and stop this malpractice.
GOACAN is concerned that if such operations in popular nationalised
banks in the main towns of Goa can carry on by impersonating individuals
residing in remote villages of the Talukas of Sanguem, Quepem,
Canacona, Sattari, Bicholim and Pernem, it could provide a golden
opportunity to those involved in hawala transactions, illegal mining,
narcotic trade and commercial sex to launder their ill gotten funds.
As a first step GOACAN has written to the Branch Manager, Central
Bank of India (Mapusa) and the Branch Manager of IDBI Bank Ltd.
(Panaji) to undertake a full scale investigation into the cases of
impersonation that have occurred in their banks based on a complaint
filed by Swapnesh Anant Chari a resident of Darkond, Dharbandora.
GOACAN calls upon all consumers of Goa to be alert to the misuse of
photo identity documents such as Pan Cards, Driving Licences, Senior
Citizens Cards, Social Security Cards and EPIC Cards which could be
detected through receipt of computer generated correspondence from
Banking Institutions about issue of cheque books, ATM cum Debit Cards,
Quarterly statements, Reminder of renewal of Term Deposits and payment
of Loan installments.
Meanwhile, GOACAN has decided to take up this matter with the Director
General of Police, Commissioner of Income Tax, Director of Transport,
Chief Secretary Govt. of Goa, Social Welfare Department, Commissioner
of Provident Fund, Labour Commissioner and Chief Election Commissioner
that suitable and Urgent warnings and cautionary notices be issued to all
its Card holders on safety precautions to be taken in this regard.
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GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK
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promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa
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GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao, Goa 403 601
GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507
mail: [email protected]
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