BEST Employee Falls Victim to Sophisticated E-Challan Scam in Mumbai
A 56-year-old electrician working for Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) lost a staggering Rs 4.16 lakh to cyber criminals. The fraud unfolded after he downloaded a malicious APK file thinking it was a legitimate traffic e-challan.
How the Scam Unfolded Step by Step
The Goregaon East resident received a suspicious text message on January 10 between 6:30 PM and 7:00 PM. The message came from an unknown number and contained an attachment labeled 'RTO e-challan'.
When the complainant clicked the file, a new window opened on his device. He immediately showed the message to his son, who then proceeded to download the APK file from the text.
Shortly after this download, the victim received a phone call from someone claiming to be an RTO employee. The caller insisted that unpaid challans against the complainant's scooter remained outstanding. He threatened that authorities would seize the vehicle if immediate payment wasn't made.
The Night of Suspicious Activity
At 9:15 PM that same evening, the complainant noticed something unusual. He received one rupee in his digital wallet from an account under the name Abhijeet Mondal.
Throughout the night, multiple OTPs from various e-commerce platforms arrived on his phone. However, the victim was asleep and didn't see these verification codes.
The Morning Discovery and Financial Loss
On January 11, the complainant made an online payment of Rs 1,000, believing he was settling the supposed traffic challan. Later that day, he checked his internet banking account and discovered alarming changes.
Someone had altered his username and modified his transaction limits without his knowledge or consent. The most devastating discovery followed - Rs 4.16 lakh had been transferred out of his account.
To make matters worse, the banking application on his phone was completely locked, preventing him from accessing his own account.
Police Action and Investigation
The victim immediately contacted the 1930 cyber crime helpline for assistance. Following their guidance, he lodged a formal police complaint about the incident.
Dindoshi Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with this cyber fraud case. Investigators are now probing the matter thoroughly to identify the perpetrators and trace the stolen funds.
This incident serves as a stark reminder about the sophisticated methods cyber criminals employ to target unsuspecting individuals. Authorities urge citizens to exercise extreme caution when receiving unsolicited messages containing attachments or links, especially those claiming to be from government agencies.
