A resident of Mangaluru reportedly fell victim to an APK file scam on WhatsApp, losing Rs 6.6 lakh. The victim received a misleading message in a WhatsApp group, appearing to be from Canara Bank, warning of account closure unless details were updated via a provided link. Upon downloading the link, the victim encountered a fraudulent banking interface that requested sensitive information.
Despite not sharing any OTPs, unauthorised transactions amounting to Rs 6.6 lakh were made from the account. A complaint regarding the incident has been filed at Kavoor Police Station, as reported by TOI.
According to the report, the incident began when the victim received a fraudulent message in a WhatsApp group that appeared to be from Canara Bank. Last week, the WhatsApp group, originally named "Durgi Cricket Utsava," was reportedly renamed to "Canara Bank." The message warned that the victim's Canara Bank account would be blocked unless UIDAI and KYC details were updated through an APK link.
The victim trusted the message and downloaded the APK, which redirected to a page resembling a bank interface. A report by TOI said that the page requested sensitive details, including the mobile number, UIDAI number, ATM PIN and CVV. After entering these details, the victim began receiving OTPs on their mobile phone.
Although the OTPs weren't shared, the victim later discovered that Rs 6.6 lakh had been fraudulently transferred from their account through multiple transactions using their debit card.
Realising the fraud, the victim told TOI that he immediately blocked his card and reported the incident to the police. A case has been registered at Kavoor Police Station, and an investigation is underway.