NEW DELHI — A chartered accountant in Delhi lost over ₹75,000 in minutes after she downloaded what looked like a legit app update sent over WhatsApp. Turns out, it was a scam. Police say fraudsters are getting bolder, using familiar apps and fake updates to break into people’s phones and steal their money.
Here’s what happened. The scammers pretended to be bank officials and told her they could bump up her credit card limit. They sent her a file on WhatsApp, claiming it was an official app update for her bank. She installed it, and just like that, her phone got hacked. The thieves then used her credit card to make online purchases worth ₹75,694.
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How They Pulled It Off
Cops found that the gang behind this cooked up a fake version of the Kotak Mahindra Bank app. It looked just like the real one, so it was easy to fall for. After she installed their app, they grabbed her banking info. They even used fake SIM cards to act like real bank employees, which made their story sound convincing.
Once they had control, the scammers bought electronics online from Zepto and sent them to an address in Faridabad. From there, they flipped the products on resale sites like OLX to turn the stolen goods into cash.
Police Response
After the accountant reported the fraud on February 4, the cybercrime team started digging. They tracked the deliveries and managed to arrest four people. The police also seized four phones used in the scam. The suspects—Abhishek Kumar Jha, Ashish Kumar Ojha, Vivek Kumar (who also goes by Monu), and Ikraar—are between 23 and 37 years old.
Police say the group wasn’t just lucky—they actually knew a lot about how banks work. Some of them had jobs in the credit card industry before, so they had access to customer data and knew exactly how to target people.
A Growing Problem
Sadly, this isn’t a one-off. Experts warn that scams like this are becoming more common across India. Criminals are using WhatsApp and other messaging apps to spread malware, phishing links, and fake alerts. Lately, there have even been reports of people getting tricked by fake traffic challan messages that install harmful files on their phones.
Authorities keep reminding everyone: don’t download apps from random links—stick to official app stores. Ignore weird updates, and if you get a message from your bank that seems odd, call the bank directly to check. If you’re caught up in a scam, you can report it on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal or call the 1930 helpline to freeze your accounts and get help.
