MSEDCL Engineer Duped of Rs 10 Lakh in Sophisticated APK Scam
In a shocking incident of cyber fraud, a superintending engineer from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has lost a staggering Rs 10 lakh to criminals after falling victim to a malicious APK file scam. The fraud was perpetrated under the false pretext of clearing pending gas pipeline dues for his Mumbai residence, highlighting the growing sophistication of online threats targeting professionals.
Details of the Fraudulent Scheme
The victim, identified as R M Chavan, who is posted in Hingoli, received a call on April 5 from an individual claiming to be Deepak Joshi. The caller asserted that dues for the Mumbai Metropolitan Gas pipeline at Chavan's flat were overdue and warned that the supply would be disconnected immediately if payment was not made. Believing the caller's urgent tone, Chavan agreed to settle the supposed dues, setting the stage for the scam.
To facilitate the payment, the fraudster sent an APK file to Chavan's mobile phone, instructing him to download it to proceed with the transaction. Unaware of the risks, Chavan installed the file, after which the accused asked him to share a one-time password (OTP). Complying with the request, Chavan provided the OTP, which allowed the criminals to gain unauthorized access to his mobile device and sensitive banking information.
Financial Loss and Police Action
Once the OTP was shared, the fraudsters swiftly siphoned off Rs 10 lakh from Chavan's bank account in two separate transactions of Rs 5 lakh each. Alarmingly, Chavan did not receive any SMS alerts from his bank regarding these transactions, only discovering the theft later when he checked his email and saw the entries dated April 5.
Realizing he had been duped, Chavan promptly approached the Hingoli city police to file a complaint. Based on his report, a case was registered on Thursday under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and charges of cheating. Hingoli SP Nilabh Rohan confirmed the details, emphasizing the need for public vigilance against such cyber threats.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by unsolicited APK files and the importance of verifying payment requests through official channels. Authorities are investigating the matter further to track down the perpetrators and prevent similar scams in the future.
