A 62-year-old retired BEST employee in Navi Mumbai fell victim to a mobile scam after clicking a malicious APK file, leading to a loss of over ₹8 lakh. Authorities warn of rising APK-based frauds targeting users across India.
A 62-year-old retired BEST employee in Navi Mumbai has lost ₹8.14 lakh after clicking on an APK file link sent to his phone, according to the Free Press Journal. The incident, reported from Nerul, adds to a growing list of mobile-based frauds that rely on users installing malicious Android packages disguised as harmless files.
Police said the man received the link at around 8.30 pm on August 8 and, after opening it, appears to have given fraudsters access to his handset. Over the next two days, money was drained from his accounts at Bank of Maharashtra and Parsik Bank in 17 separate transactions. He noticed the unauthorised debits on the morning of August 10, contacted the national cybercrime helpline 1930 and then went to the police.
The case has been registered against unidentified persons under sections of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and investigators are tracing the accounts that received the stolen funds. Police have again warned people not to open APK links sent by unknown contacts, saying such files can give criminals access to banking details and other sensitive information.
The episode reflects a wider scam pattern seen across India, where fraudsters send fake app links through messaging services and social media while posing as banks or official agencies. The Ministry of Home Affairs and banks including HDFC have issued public warnings about such APK-based frauds, advising customers to download apps only from verified app stores and to avoid installing software from untrusted links.
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.
