Mumbai: Mumbai cyber police have busted an online fraud syndicate that allegedly supplied malicious APK files to several criminal gangs across the country. The applications, disguised as RTO challan and electricity bill payment files, were circulated to dupe victims and steal their banking and debit card details.The multi-crore APK cyber fraud came to light while the East Region Cyber police during an investigation into a Rs 27 lakh cheating case in which a shopkeeper was allegedly tricked into downloading a malicious APK file disguised as a Mahanagar Gas bill update.The police have arrested three accused identified as Mohammad Arif Ansari (28), Sheikh Belal (28) and Mehboob Alam (26). All three arrested accused are linked to several other cases registered in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra.The complainant in the case is Ghatkopar resident N Thakkar, who received WhatsApp messages between April 16 and 18, warning that his gas connection would be disconnected by 10 pm because his previous month’s bill had not been updated. The message allegedly directed him to download a file named Mahanagar Gas Bill Update Online.apk and enter his debit card details. The complainant in panic followed the instructions and was subsequently defrauded of Rs 26.12 lakh.During interrogation, the accused allegedly told investigators that a man identified as Sajid Mansur Ali (29) from Kapashera in southwest Delhi supplied them with APK files and mobile numbers of intended targets through WhatsApp. The arrested men allegedly forwarded the files and received between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 for each file. Police are also investigating two other men from Jharkhand who allegedly procured the files. The accused also revealed that two more persons named Mohan Kasool Mahto and Sunil Dashrat Soren too have brought APK files from Sajid Ali. The police state that the accused have been linked to several other cases registered in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra.An APK file scam is a cyberattack where fraudsters trick you into downloading a malicious APK file to steal your data, intercept OTPs and drain your bank account.
