Hyderabad: In yet another fraud involving an APK (Android Package Kit) file, a sexagenarian clicked on a link provided by a fraudster which cost him Rs.1.11 lakh. Clicking on the APK file sent by the fraudster allowed him access to the victim’s phone, police said.
The 60-year-old victim from Hyderabad approached the city cybercrime officials after he was duped. In his complaint, he stated that he received a link in his WhatsApp claiming to be an update on a bank’s KYC procedure.
Being a customer of the bank, the victim clicked on the link, and an APK file with a malicious bug was downloaded on his phone without his knowledge. In no time, he started receiving the messages comprising OTPs. The victim even before realising what was happening with his cellphone, had an amount of Rs.1.11 lakh debited from his bank account. The victim in his complaint also said that the messages he received were related to Aadhaar card authentication.
The APK files compromise mobile phones, provide access of our cellphones to conmen and leave us no choice. Police have been urging citizens to stay vigilant about the suspicious links that are received on any platform.
