A 61-year-old retired man in Rajkot has filed a cybercrime complaint after fraudsters siphoned over Rs 9.93 lakh from his bank account. The scammers tricked him into installing a fake mobile application that posed as an official traffic challan app.
How the fraud unfolded
Haresh Vora told the Cyber Crime police that he had paid a genuine traffic fine of Rs 2,000 online on January 24, 2026. The next day, he received a file titled "RTO Traffic Challan.apk" on WhatsApp from an unknown number. Believing it to be an official document, Vora downloaded the application and granted the permissions it sought.
Soon after installation, his mobile phone was compromised. Without his knowledge, more than Rs 9.93 lakh was transferred from his bank account to another account in five separate transactions, according to the complaint.
Legal action taken
Vora filed a complaint against the holder of the receiving bank account and others who may be identified during the investigation. The case has been registered under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act.
Investigating officer Chandrakant Mahale stated, "An investigation is currently underway to determine the identity of the person whose bank account received the transferred funds."
Precautionary measures
Authorities advise citizens to be cautious when downloading apps from unknown sources. Official traffic challan payments are processed through government portals and not via APK files shared on messaging platforms. Users should verify the authenticity of any such requests before granting permissions.
