# Kerala HC orders ₹3.73 lakh SBI refund after OTP scam

> Kerala High Court forces SBI to refund ₹3.73 lakh to victim after OTP scam.
- Title: Kerala HC orders ₹3.73 lakh SBI refund after OTP scam · mint
- Summary: Kerala High Court forces SBI to refund ₹3.73 lakh to victim after OTP scam. Kerala High Court ordered SBI to refund ₹3.73 lakh to a retired college principal…
- Keywords: kerala high court, sbi, otp scam, refund, rbi zero liability rule, banking fraud, news, india, Kerala, orders, lakh, OTP
- Source: mint — https://livemint.com/money/personal-finance/sbi-cyber-fraud-kerala-hc-orders-3-73-lakh-refund-can-you-get-a-refund-after-sharing-an-otp-11792471396853.html
- Author: Shivam Shukla
- Published: 2026-10-20T05:17:09+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kerala high court, sbi, otp scam, refund, rbi zero liability rule, banking fraud, news, india
## Kerala High Court ruling
Kerala High Court directed SBI to refund ₹3.73 lakh to a retired college principal after unauthorised transaction on her debit card.

> Kerala High Court directed SBI to refund ₹3.73 lakh to a retired college principal who lost money after sharing an OTP with a fraudster posing as a bank official
## How the scam happened
Victim received SMS about debit card block, called official number, shared OTP for SBI Secure App registration.

> The victim received an SMS saying her debit card would soon be blocked. A call offering reactivation followed, from a number that looked official.
## Five key lessons
Never share OTPs with anyone, do not trust suspicious calls, report unauthorised transactions immediately, keep records of complaints, know RBI zero-liability rules.

> Banks and their officials never ask customers to disclose confidential information, such as OTPs, over calls or messages.
## RBI zero-liability rule
RBI zero-liability provision covers unauthorised transactions where neither bank nor customer is at fault, requiring notification within three working days.

> The Kerala High Court held that the case fell under the Reserve Bank of India’s ‘zero-liability’ provision for certain unauthorised transactions involving a third-party breach
## Reporting fraud
Contact bank immediately after suspicious transaction, block affected card, report to police and cybercrime authorities.

> Contact your bank or card issuer as soon as you notice or suspect a fraudulent transaction. Block the affected card or digital banking access
## What happens next
Victim receives ₹3.73 lakh refund from SBI after court order, but must report fraud to police and cyber authorities.

> The victim received an SMS saying her debit card would soon be blocked. A call offering reactivation followed, from a number that looked official.
## Key takeaway

Kerala High Court ordered SBI to refund ₹3.73 lakh to a retired college principal who shared an OTP with a fraudster posing as a bank official.