Hyderabad Cybercrime Police Save Pensioner from ₹10 Lakh APK Fraud

A quick intervention by the Hyderabad Cybercrime police helped a pensioner recover half of his stolen money after he fell victim to a malicious APK fraud.

The elderly man had searched online for the Punjab National Bank helpline to submit his Life Certificate and unknowingly contacted a fake number posted by cybercriminals. Pretending to be bank officials, the fraudsters sent him a malicious APK file via WhatsApp, asking him to install it for verification.

Once installed, the malware gave the scammers remote access to his phone, allowing them to transfer ₹10 lakh from his bank account without authorization.

Realizing the fraud, the pensioner approached the Hyderabad Cybercrime Unit. Police Constable N. Srikanth Naik promptly assisted him in filing a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and removed the malware from his phone.

Thanks to quick coordination with the digital wallet’s nodal officer, the police managed to block ₹5 lakh, which is now being processed for refund to the victim.

Officials have warned citizens against installing unknown APK files such as “RTO Challan”, “RTA Challan 140.apk”, or “Customercare.apk”, which are being circulated through WhatsApp and social media.

The Cybercrime police have urged people to download apps only from official app stores and verify bank contact details through authorized websites.