A message warning that your debit card will be blocked, followed by a call from someone claiming to be a bank official, can be enough to make even a cautious customer act in haste. Fraudsters exploit precisely this moment of panic, persuading people to share one-time passwords (OTPs), disclose banking credentials, or install malicious applications. When money disappears from an account, however, victims often face a second challenge: establishing their right to seek reimbursement from the bank.

A case involving a retired teacher and the State Bank of India (SBI) highlights why customers should know how these scams work and what the law says about unauthorised electronic transactions.

In Remadevi T.L. v. State Bank of India, a phishing scam allegedly cost the customer Rs 3.73 lakh. The fraudsters exploited a banking announcement about the proposed blocking of non-chip debit cards to make their message appear credible.…