A 70-year-old college trustee from Khar was allegedly duped of ₹6.7 lakh in a cyber fraud after a caller posing as a bank’s credit card representative offered him a premium credit card available on an invitation-only basis. The scammer subsequently sent a fake APK file through WhatsApp, claiming it was required to complete the card application process. After the victim downloaded the file, the accused allegedly gained access to his mobile phone and siphoned money from bank accounts linked to his family.
The victim, identified as KM Raju, was reportedly looking for a premium credit card when he received the call. The caller introduced himself as a tele-caller from a bank’s credit card department and explained the features of a super-premium card. The caller told him that the card carried a joining and annual fee of ₹12,500, apart from applicable taxes.
After discussing the card and the application procedure, the caller sent an APK file to Raju’s WhatsApp account in the name of the bank. According to the police, Raju downloaded the file believing that it was part of the card application process. The accused allegedly used the installation to gain access to his mobile device.
Soon afterwards, multiple transactions were carried out from bank accounts belonging to Raju and his family members. Police said eight fraudulent transactions were completed within around an hour from accounts belonging to Raju, his wife, sister and daughter.
Investigators said the accounts included joint family accounts, which allegedly allowed the fraudster to access and transfer money from more than one account after gaining control of the victim’s mobile device. The total amount lost in the incident was ₹6.7 lakh. During the alleged fraud, Raju’s mobile phone also shut down automatically, prompting him to realise that something was wrong.
After discovering the unauthorised transactions, Raju contacted the cybercrime helpline 1930 and reported the incident. The police also alerted the nodal officers of the concerned banks and initiated steps to freeze the accounts into which the allegedly stolen money had been transferred.
Khar police registered a case on Sunday based on Raju’s complaint. Investigators are now examining the mobile device, phone number used by the caller, WhatsApp account and bank accounts linked to the suspected fraud. Police are also tracing the flow of the money to determine where the funds were transferred after being withdrawn from the family accounts.
The case highlights the growing risk posed by APK-based cyber fraud. Scammers often impersonate employees of banks, credit card companies or government departments and persuade victims to download applications or files under the pretext of completing KYC formalities, processing applications or activating special services.
In this case, the accused allegedly used the promise of a premium credit card to establish credibility before persuading the victim to install the APK file. Once installed, the malicious application allegedly enabled the fraudster to gain access to the device and facilitate unauthorised financial transactions.
Cybercrime investigators are examining whether the accused was part of a larger fraud network and whether other victims may have been targeted using the same method. The suspected beneficiary accounts are also being scrutinised to identify the individuals who may have received or moved the allegedly stolen funds.
Police have advised citizens not to install APK files received through WhatsApp, SMS or other unofficial channels at the request of unknown callers. Banks generally do not require customers to install random APK files to process credit card applications. People who notice any unauthorised transaction should immediately contact their bank and report the incident on 1930 to improve the chances of freezing the funds.
