A 54-year-old resident of Dehradun fell victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud scheme, losing a substantial sum of Rs 3.6 lakh after interacting with a deceptive message on WhatsApp. The incident, which occurred on December 27 last year, highlights the growing threat of malware disguised as official communications.
The Deceptive Message and Financial Loss
The victim received a message from an unidentified phone number. The file, named "RTO Challan.APK", was designed to appear as an electronic traffic violation notice from the Regional Transport Office (RTO). Believing it to be a legitimate challan for a possible traffic offence, the man opened the APK file on his device.
Unbeknownst to him, the file contained malicious software. Shortly after opening it, multiple unauthorized transactions were initiated from his linked bank account. Before he could fully comprehend the situation, a total of Rs 3.6 lakh had been siphoned off in several instalments.
Police Investigation and Public Warning
The matter came to light on Wednesday when the victim filed a formal complaint at the Nehru Colony police station. Following his complaint, an FIR was registered under BNS section 318 (4) and section 66 of the IT Act against unidentified persons.
Inspector Santosh Singh Kunwar of Nehru Colony thana confirmed the details and stated that a probe has been launched to track down the culprits. He issued a stern warning to the public, urging extreme caution. "We want to appeal to people against opening suspicious APK files, as they may contain malware and are sent by cyber criminals to dupe their targets," Kunwar emphasized.
A Pattern of Evolving Cyber Scams
This is not an isolated incident in the region. Police noted that cyber criminals are constantly innovating their methods to exploit trust. Recently, there have been instances where malicious files were disguised as e-wedding invitations on WhatsApp. Once opened, these files hacked into victims' phones, leading to theft of sensitive data and money.
The Dehradun case serves as a critical reminder for all smartphone users. Citizens are advised to:
- Never open APK files received from unknown or unverified numbers.
- Be sceptical of unsolicited messages claiming to be from government bodies like the RTO.
- Verify any official communication directly through government portals or offices.
- Install and regularly update a reputable mobile security application.
As the investigation continues, authorities are working to trace the digital footprint left by the scammers in this sophisticated financial fraud.
