The Surat City Cyber Crime Cell arrested a 43-year-old man accused of helping an alleged cyber fraud network convert money, stolen through a malicious APK file into cash, The investigators traced the suspected operation to an absconding accused linked to Jamtara-linked gang.
The accused, identified as Din Mohammad Sheikh, was arrested from Surat in connection with a case in which a complainant was allegedly cheated of Rs 6,31,414.68 after an APK file was sent to and installed on the victim’s mobile phone.
Police said the malware allowed the accused to access sensitive information and carry out about eight transactions from the complainant’s bank account without his knowledge.
The complainant subsequently contacted the Cyber Crime Helpline on 1930, following which the Surat Cyber Crime Cell took up the investigation.
An FIR was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2008.
A team headed by Police Inspector V.D. Mandora carried out technical investigation to trace those involved.
According to police, Sheikh, a 43-year-old “unemployed” resident of Bhestan in Surat and originally from Jowla village in Budhana tehsil of Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh, had provided his Axis Bank and Canara Bank credit cards for settling bills linked to the fraudulent funds.
Police said Rs 2,28,226.68 of the complainant’s money was used through the two credit cards.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Cell) Bishakha Jain said the accused allegedly converted the amount into cash after using the cards for bill settlements, retained 10 per cent as commission and transferred the remaining money to an absconding co-accused.
The money was subsequently transferred to personal bank accounts allegedly associated with the Jamtara-based network through cash deposit machines. “At present, the investigation in this direction is continuing to reach the main accused, who is in Jamtara,” Jain said.
She explained that the alleged modus operandi involved sending victims APK files disguised under different names.
“Once a victim clicked on and installed such a file, sensitive information from the phone, including SMS messages, could be accessed and forwarded. The accused could then obtain OTPs and use internet banking to transfer money from the victim’s account,” she said.
Police said such malicious files may be circulated using names relating to traffic challans, bank KYC updates, insurance policies or other services and documents.
Jain urged people not to install or click on APK files received through social media, particularly from unknown numbers.
“Whenever people receive such an APK file through social media, they should not install it or click on it. If it has come from an unknown number, they should immediately inform the local police and block the number,” she said.
The case comes amid continuing investigations by Surat police into APK-based cyber fraud, including scams in which malicious applications are used to compromise victims’ mobile phones and facilitate unauthorised financial transactions.
Bureau Report
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