Bengaluru techie clicks on fake traffic fine link, loses Rs 7.2 lakh

Bengaluru: A 37-year-old tech professional lost Rs 7.22 lakh to a cyber fraud after clicking on a fake traffic fine link and installing a malicious mobile application. 

The victim, a resident of Electronics City, received a message on March 26, stating that a traffic violation fine of Rs 1,120 had been imposed.

The message included a link to check the fine details. 

Believing the message, he clicked the link and was prompted to download an application resembling the mParivahan app. He had recently purchased a new car and had been using the official app for vehicle-related services, which made the message appear credible. 

After installing the application, it behaved suspiciously and disappeared.

Shortly thereafter, he began receiving multiple transaction alerts on his phone. 

On checking, he found that several unauthorised transactions had been carried out using his credit card on various online platforms, resulting in a total loss of Rs 7.22 lakh. 

The victim told DH his credit card had a limit of around Rs 12 lakh. The bank later blocked the card after detecting suspicious transactions, preventing further misuse. 

Based on a complaint, the Electronics City police have registered a case and suspect that fraudsters used a phishing link and malware to steal the victim’s card details and undertake the transactions.