Ahmedabad:
In a growing wave of cyber fraud across the city, a 65-year-old resident of the Nikol area fell victim to cybercriminals who siphoned off ₹5,19,506 from his bank account after hacking his mobile phone through a malicious file.
According to police sources, the victim, Khushalsingh Khemsingh Rajput (65), residing at Bhaktiraj Bungalows near S.P. Ring Road in Nikol, received WhatsApp messages from an unknown mobile number (+91 7090229049) between June 3, 2026, and June 4, 2026. The fraudster sent an application file named BOI PAN CARD UPDATE.apk, posing as an official update request for Bank of India PAN card details.
Trusting the message, Khushalsingh downloaded and installed the file. The malicious APK file gave the scammer remote access to his smartphone. Shortly after gaining control, the cybercriminals executed five unauthorized transactions, transferring a total of ₹5,19,506 from his Bank of India account.
Realizing he had been duped, Khushalsingh lodged a formal complaint at the Cyber Crime Police Station on October 5, 2026. Police Inspector (PI) P.H. Makwana has taken charge of the case and initiated an investigation.
Cyber Safety Advisory:
Never download or install .apk files or click on unverified links received from unknown contacts via WhatsApp or SMS. Banks never ask customers to update PAN or KYC details by downloading third-party applications. Report financial cyber frauds immediately by calling the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or visiting cybercrime.gov.in.
