Police in Alwar are investigating after a deputy branch manager allegedly installed a malicious Android app sent with a fake recruitment offer and lost Rs 1.25 lakh from his credit card.
A deputy branch manager in Alwar, Rajasthan, has reported losing Rs 1.25 lakh after what police described as a job scam that relied on a malicious APK file, a type of Android application package that can be used to install software outside official app stores. According to the complaint, Rahul Agarwal clicked on a link sent in a message offering work, then found his phone had been compromised and money had been taken from his credit card.
Police say the fraudsters are suspected of having used the fake recruitment pitch to persuade Agarwal to share one-time passwords, or OTPs, while pretending to complete registration and other formalities. He realised something was wrong on Sunday evening, after the card transaction went through, and the callers then became unreachable. Agarwal went to Kotwali police station in Alwar on Monday and filed a complaint, prompting investigators to begin checking data recovered from his handset with help from technical experts.
The case fits a pattern that cybercrime investigators have been warning about across India: criminals increasingly hide malware inside seemingly harmless files, from job offers to wedding invitations and pension notices. In another recent case reported by The Economic Times, a businessman lost Rs 5.85 lakh after opening an APK sent through WhatsApp, while The Indian Express reported that a retired Army soldier in Pune lost Rs 28 lakh after downloading a file linked to a fake pension verification message. A separate report from Pioneer Edge described a woman in Dehradun losing Rs 1.5 lakh in a similar scam.
Security advisories have repeatedly urged people to avoid installing apps from unknown links and to treat requests for OTPs, PINs or passwords as warning signs. The Reserve Bank of India has also cautioned customers against downloading banking apps from unofficial sources or sharing sensitive details over the phone. Consumer-safety guides say legitimate banks do not send APK files through SMS or WhatsApp and do not ask customers to install third-party apps to complete account checks or KYC updates.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
