An elderly man residing in Dehradun's Basant Vihar area fell victim to cyber fraudsters who swindled him out of Rs 2.75 lakh after he opened an APK file received on WhatsApp, which was disguised as a traffic challan from the transport department.
Incident Details
According to police, the incident occurred early last month when the complainant, a 65-year-old businessman, received a message from an account falsely named 'M Parivahan,' mimicking the official portal of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Believing it to be a genuine traffic challan, he opened the file.
Inspector Vinod Gusain of the local police station stated, 'When he opened the file, he was immediately logged out of his WhatsApp account. The fraudsters gained access to his confidential banking information and siphoned off Rs 2.7 lakh.' The victim reported the matter to the cyber police station on April 26 and subsequently lodged a formal complaint at Basant Vihar police station on Friday.
Legal Action Taken
An FIR has been registered under Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. 'A probe has been launched to arrest the accused. We appeal to citizens not to open any suspicious messages, especially APK files received from unknown numbers on WhatsApp,' Gusain added.
Modus Operandi of Scammers
Cyber fraudsters are increasingly using APK files to infiltrate smartphones. Once installed, these files can grant remote access to the device, enabling criminals to steal sensitive data, including banking credentials and OTPs. The 'M Parivahan' scam is a classic example where scammers exploit the trust associated with government services.
Preventive Measures for Citizens
- Never open or download APK files from unknown sources, especially those received via messaging apps like WhatsApp.
- Verify the authenticity of any message claiming to be from a government department by checking official websites or helplines.
- Enable two-factor authentication for banking apps and WhatsApp to add an extra layer of security.
- Report any suspicious activity immediately to the cyber crime helpline (1930) or the nearest police station.
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution when dealing with unsolicited messages. The investigation into this case is ongoing, and police are working to trace the digital footprint of the fraudsters.
