A 44-year-old mason from Ahmedabad's Sardarnagar area fell victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing a staggering sum of Rs 1.75 lakh. The scam was initiated through a deceptive WhatsApp message that masqueraded as an official traffic fine notification from the Regional Transport Office (RTO).
The Deceptive Message and Malicious Download
On the evening of December 1, the complainant received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number. The message contained an application labelled "RTO Office" along with an attachment titled "traaffice challan rs500 apk". Mistaking it for a legitimate notice for an unpaid traffic fine, the mason proceeded to download and install the APK file on his mobile phone.
Unauthorized Transactions Drain Bank Account
The installation of the malicious application triggered immediate financial havoc. Shortly after, a series of unauthorized transactions began bleeding his bank account. The First Information Report (FIR) details that money was siphoned off in rapid succession, with amounts ranging from as small as Rs 5.90 to as large as Rs 25,000. The fraudulent debits continued until a total of Rs 1,75,133 was illegally withdrawn before the victim realized the gravity of the situation.
Reporting the Cybercrime and Police Action
Upon discovering the fraud, the victim acted promptly. He contacted the cybercrime helpline on the same day and filed two complaints through the official cybercrime portal. Initially, as the digital complaint process was underway, he did not approach a physical police station. Following advice to pursue formal legal action, he lodged a formal police complaint on Friday.
The Airport police station has registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating. The case also includes provisions of the Information Technology Act pertaining to cheating by personation using computer resources or communication devices.
This incident serves as a stark reminder for all mobile users to exercise extreme caution. Never download APK files from unverified sources, especially via messaging apps. Official government bodies like the RTO do not send executable files (.apk) for challan payments through WhatsApp. Always verify fines through official websites or portals and use trusted payment gateways.
