In yet another chilling reminder of the growing sophistication of cybercrime, multiple residents across the city have recently fallen prey to digital frauds. From fake e-challan APKs to bogus hotel bookings, cybercriminals are evolving their tactics to trap unsuspecting victims.
RTO Challan Scam
A woman from Navrangpura lost ₹1.43 lakh after receiving a message supposedly from the RTO office, with an APK file named ‘RTO Challan’. Upon downloading the file, her phone was flooded with OTPs and bank alerts, showing unauthorised money transfers. Navrangpura police have registered a case and launched an investigation.
Fake Hotel Booking
A toy shop owner from Kalupur planning a trip to Daman was duped of ₹10,000. He found the Silver Sand Beach Resort through a Google search and contacted a person posing as the “resort manager.” The scammer quoted ₹12,000 for two rooms but offered a ₹2,000 discount for advance payment. After transferring ₹10,000, the victim discovered the booking was fake. Kalupur police are investigating the matter.
Home Loan Fraud
A businessman from Shahpur was conned into believing he had secured a ₹90 lakh home loan. The fraudsters told him his application was approved and demanded ₹73,000 as a security deposit along with documents. Shahpur police have begun tracing the accused.
Fake media Profiles
In a disturbing case from Juhapura Road, a man became a victim of online defamation after fake social media profiles were created in his name. The incident reportedly stemmed from his brother’s secret marriage, with family members allegedly posting defamatory content online. Police are probing the case.
Authorities have urged citizens to stay alert, avoid downloading suspicious files, and verify payment links before making online transactions.