Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 20 August 2025
A resident of Wimberlygunj lost ₹70,000 after being tricked into downloading a fraudulent mobile application while attempting to cancel a wrongly booked flight ticket.
According to the FIR lodged at the Cyber Crime Police Station, the incident occurred on May 30, 2025, when the victim mistakenly booked a flight ticket for the wrong date. In search of a refund, he came across a YouTube advertisement video that offered guidance on flight ticket cancellations.
The video displayed a mobile number, which the victim dialled. He was then redirected to another WhatsApp number, where unknown person(s) began instructing him on how to secure the refund. As part of their instructions, they asked him to download and install an APK, presented as necessary for processing the cancellation and refund.
APK (Android Package Kit) is the file format used to install applications on Android devices. While official apps are downloaded from trusted sources such as the Google Play Store, cyber fraudsters often create malicious APKs and share them through links or personal messages. Once installed, these fake apps can access sensitive data, including banking information and passwords, leading to financial theft.
Trusting their guidance, the Wimberlygunj resident installed the app and entered his SBI card details, UPI credentials, and even his UPI PIN. Soon after, his phone appeared compromised, and multiple unauthorized UPI transactions took place — ₹50,000 in one transfer and two more of ₹10,000 each — debiting a total of ₹70,000 from his bank account. Notably, the transactions were carried out without requiring any OTP.
On May 31, 2025, the victim reported the matter on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Following his complaint, the Cyber Crime Police registered a case under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 on 14th August 2025.
