UDUP: In yet another instance of cybercrime targeting rural residents, a 49-year-old farmer from Yerlapadi village in Karkala taluk reportedly lost ₹1.74 lakh after downloading a malicious mobile application falsely claiming to be linked to the central government’s PM Kisan scheme.
Fraud through deceptive APK link
The victim, identified as G Rajesh Acharya, lodged a complaint with Karkala Town Police stating that he had received a message containing a link to download an APK file. The message claimed that the app was part of the government’s PM Kisan initiative, which provides financial assistance to farmers.
Trusting the authenticity of the message, Acharya downloaded and installed the application on his mobile phone. Within minutes, he noticed two minor deductions of ₹1.30 and ₹1.03, a tactic commonly used by cybercriminals to verify transaction access before executing larger frauds.
Series of unauthorised transactions
According to the complaint, the major fraud took place on October 31, when three unauthorised transactions of ₹24,990, ₹50,000, and ₹25,000 were made from his account, totalling ₹99,992. Two days later, on November 2, another ₹75,000 was withdrawn from a separate bank account belonging to him. The total loss amounted to ₹1,74,992.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fraudster gained access to the victim’s banking credentials and sensitive data through the malicious application. Once the APK file was installed, it reportedly allowed remote access to his phone, enabling the cybercriminal to control transactions.
Case registered under IT Act
Following the complaint, Karkala Town Police registered a case under Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, which deals with cheating by impersonation using computer resources. Police have initiated an investigation to trace the perpetrators and identify the origin of the fraudulent message.
Police advisory to the public
Authorities have once again cautioned the public against downloading or installing unauthorised APK files or clicking on links sent from unknown numbers. They have specifically warned citizens to be wary of messages claiming to offer benefits under government schemes like PM Kisan, Ayushman Bharat, or Jan Dhan, as cyber frauds using these names are increasingly common.
A senior police official from Karkala stated, “Fraudsters often use the names of trusted government initiatives to deceive the public. We urge everyone to verify links through official websites and avoid sharing personal or banking details online.”
Cyber experts advise that individuals should never download applications from third-party links, and instead rely only on verified platforms like Google Play Store or Apple App Store. They also recommend regularly updating mobile security and enabling two-factor authentication to safeguard against such frauds.
With online scams on the rise across coastal Karnataka, police have intensified awareness campaigns urging citizens, especially rural residents, to exercise vigilance and report suspicious activity immediately.