Bengaluru, February 2: A 42-year-old private company employee in Bengaluru was duped out of INR 70,000 after falling victim to a fake traffic challan scam. The victim, Hari Krishnan, a resident of Singasandra, received a WhatsApp message on January 19 claiming he had violated traffic rules. The message included a fake receipt for a traffic ticket and urged him to download the 'Vahan Parivahan' app to pay the fine.

Despite warnings about the file's risk, Krishnan downloaded the app, which turned out to be a malicious APK file, the Times of India reported. Shortly after, he began receiving OTP messages, signalling that his phone had been compromised. Unauthorised transactions amounting to INR 70,000 were then made from his credit card. Matrimonial Scam: Fraudster Poses As UK-Based Neurosurgeon on Matrimonial Site, Tricks Woman Into Transferring INR 2.6 Lakh for Fake Customs Fee in Bengaluru; Investigation Underway.

Traffic Challan Scam in Bengaluru

Krishnan’s wife also received alerts about attempted transactions from her bank account, as some apps on her phone were linked to his number. Fortunately, the scammers were unable to withdraw any money from her account.

Realising the fraud, Krishnan immediately contacted his bank to block the transactions and reported the incident to the cyber helpline. On January 29, he formally lodged a complaint with the Electronics City police. A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and Section 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police have urged the public to avoid downloading APK files from unknown sources to prevent such scams. Bengaluru: Fraudster Posing as Nursery Owner Flees with INR 19 Lakh from Hotel During Fake Sapling Deal on St John's Road, Suspect Arrested.

In a similar incident, a 60-year-old techie from Whitefield lost INR 2.8 crore to fraudsters posing as bank officials. The scammers lured him with a "gift" smartphone pre-loaded with malicious software, which allowed them to gain control of his phone and siphon off his entire fixed deposit.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 02, 2025 09:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).