A routine tap on what appeared to be a software update notification ended in shock for a 41-year-old Sarkhej resident, who lost Rs 99,001 from his bank account in an alleged cyberfraud. Police suspect that cybercriminals may have used the fake update prompt to gain access to his mobile device and banking information.
According to an FIR registered by Sarkhej police on Wednesday, the complainant, who works in the dispatch department of a private company in Moraiya and lives in Fatehwadi, received a notification on his mobile phone on March 28, asking him to update the device's system software. Believing it to be a legitimate update, he clicked on the notification while at work and continued with his daily routine.
It was only later in the evening, when he attempted to make an online transaction, that he noticed his account balance was far lower than expected. On checking SMS alerts on his phone, he found that Rs 99,001 had been withdrawn from his bank account through an unauthorised transaction. Realising he had become a victim of cyberfraud, he immediately contacted the National Cyber Crime Helpline and lodged a complaint.
Subsequent verification with his bank revealed that the money had been transferred to an account in RBL Bank. Investigators suspect that the fraudulent notification may have been used to install malicious software or otherwise compromise the victim's device, enabling the perpetrators to access banking credentials and carry out the transaction.
Based on the complaint and the findings of a preliminary inquiry, Sarkhej police have registered a case against unidentified persons for cheating and offences under the Information Technology Act. Officials said efforts are underway to trace the beneficiary bank account and follow the digital trail left behind by the transaction. Cybercrime investigators are examining technical evidence to identify the individuals responsible and determine the exact method used in the fraud.
