A Torrent Power employee allegedly lost ₹9,98,752 after opening a fake RTO e-challan application received through WhatsApp. The fraudsters also allegedly secured an unauthorised personal loan in his name and withdrew part of the sanctioned amount before the crime was detected.
WhatsApp File Opened to Check Traffic Challan
According to the complaint, Kanhaiyalal Shivabhai Patel, a technician employed with Torrent Power and a resident of Ahmedabad’s Ranip area, received a file titled “RTO Challan” from his nephew through WhatsApp.
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Believing the file might contain details of a traffic violation involving his vehicle, Patel opened it and entered his name and mobile number. No challan information appeared, prompting him to close the application.
Two days later, Patel received a one-time password on his phone while driving. He ignored the message because he was occupied. Shortly afterwards, his daughter informed him that ₹99,987 had been debited from his bank account.
Fraudsters Allegedly Secured Personal Loan
Patel checked his banking records and contacted the bank after learning about the unauthorised debit. A review of his account statement revealed that another ₹4 lakh had been transferred through RTGS transactions.
Further examination indicated that a personal loan of ₹9,15,177 had allegedly been obtained in his name without his knowledge. Of the sanctioned amount, ₹4,98,765 had already been withdrawn through several transactions.
The combined value of the unauthorised transactions was calculated at ₹9,98,752. Patel informed the bank and lodged a formal complaint with the cyber crime police.
Investigators are attempting to identify the source of the fake application and trace the beneficiary accounts into which the money was transferred.
Public Warned Against Unverified APK Files
Cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said fraudsters combine social engineering with malicious software by circulating applications that appear to provide legitimate government or payment services.
Such applications may seek access to SMS messages, OTPs, contact lists and financial information after being installed. This access can then be misused to carry out unauthorised transactions.
Singh advised citizens to verify traffic challans, government notices and payment demands through official websites or authorised applications. Police have similarly urged people not to open unverified links, files or applications received through WhatsApp, SMS, email or social media.
People who suspect cyber fraud have been advised to contact their bank immediately, block suspicious transactions and report the incident through the national cyber crime helpline at 1930.
