Bengaluru: A deputy range forest officer (DRFO) with the forest department lost nearly Rs 10 lakh after clicking on a malicious APK file disguised as an engagement invitation on WhatsApp, in yet another case highlighting the growing menace of APK-based cyberfraud.According to the complaint filed by Ramesh Babu V, a resident of Yeshwantpur, he received what appeared to be an engagement invitation in the form of an APK file on WhatsApp. Believing it to be genuine, he clicked on the file, which was then installed on his mobile phone.Babu told TOI, “I received the message from one of my friends’ WhatsApp numbers on the evening of July 13. I noticed the message the next afternoon, and since it was from my friend and mentioned an engagement invitation, I clicked on the file.”Within 30 minutes, between 4.40pm and 4.55pm, he began receiving transaction alerts from his bank account. “I thought those were random promotional messages and didn’t check them immediately.”When he later checked the messages, he discovered that money had been transferred from his bank account without his knowledge.Babu said all APK files on his phone were later found to have been deleted, leading him to suspect that the malicious application had compromised his device and enabled unauthorised access to his bank account.In all, Rs 9,96,659 was allegedly siphoned off in seven transactions by unidentified cybercrooks. “Later, I learnt that my friend’s WhatsApp account had been hacked and the fraudsters had sent the APK files from it. At least 10 people in my friend’s contact list have received APK files,” he said.Babu immediately reported the incident to the cyber helpline (1930) and informed his bank. The following day, he approached north cybercrime police and filed a complaint along with the transaction details. A senior officer said efforts are underway to freeze the fraudsters’ bank accounts.GFX: Beware of Fake Invitations* Never click on or install APK files received via WhatsApp, SMS, or social media, even if they appear to come from friends or relatives* Verify with the sender through a phone call before opening any unexpected file or link, as their account may have been hacked* Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for banking and messaging apps* Turn on transaction alerts and check SMS or banking notifications immediately* Report cyberfraud calling 1930 and report to police
