Indian Deputy Commander Loses Lakhs to Water Bill Scam via Malicious APK Link
A Territorial Army Deputy Commander Falls Victim to Sophisticated Cyber Scam
A Territorial Army Deputy Commander in Chandigarh fell victim to a sophisticated cyber scam, losing ₹8.83 lakh after being tricked into installing a malicious Android application package (APK) file on his phone.
The Scam Unfolds
The scam was perpetrated by individuals posing as officials from the Public Health Engineering department of Jammu & Kashmir. The scam unfolded on February 5, when the Deputy Commander received a call from an unknown number, warning him that his water supply would be disconnected due to an overdue bill.
The caller then sent a link to the officer’s phone, instructing him to download and install the APK file. Unbeknownst to the officer, the file contained malware that enabled the scammers to access his banking credentials.
The Consequences
Subsequently, the officer received a notification that his fixed deposit, valued at ₹13.72 lakh, had been prematurely closed, and the funds had been transferred to his savings account. Within minutes, multiple transactions were carried out, resulting in the withdrawal of ₹8.83 lakh.
The officer promptly alerted his bank and lodged a complaint with the police.
Investigation and Warning
The Sector-17 Cyber Crime Police Station has launched an investigation into the incident. Cybersecurity experts note that APK-based scams typically involve the installation of malware that enables remote access or screen mirroring on the victim’s device, allowing scammers to capture one-time passwords, passwords, and banking app data.
In some cases, scammers also liquidate fixed deposits or other investments and transfer the funds to savings accounts before making withdrawals.
The incident highlights a growing trend of fear-based cybercrime, where scammers use threats of disconnection of essential services to coerce victims into making immediate payments.
The investigation is ongoing, and the full extent of the scammer’s network and the final destination of the siphoned funds will be determined once digital and financial analysis is complete.
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