Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police successfully helped a victim recover Rs 2.91 lakh that he lost to online fraudsters.
The victim had received a phone call from someone pretending to be an HDFC Bank representative. The caller offered to increase the victim’s credit card limit. During the call, the fraudster collected the victim’s credit card details and sent an APK file through WhatsApp. The victim installed the file, which compromised his phone. After that, multiple transactions totaling Rs 2.91 lakh were made from his credit card without him having to share any OTP.
The victim quickly approached the Cyber Crime police for help. The police’s NCRP Team (Cyber Crime Unit-Hyderabad) found out that the fraudster had used malware to steal the victim’s details. They also discovered that the stolen money was spent in three separate purchases on Amazon.
The victim filed an online complaint on November 2. The Cyber Crime team took immediate action by sending notices to the relevant authorities to block the funds. Due to their swift response, Rs 2.91 lakh was refunded to the victim’s credit card without needing a court order.
Dara Kavitha, DCP of the Cyber Crime Unit, advised citizens to be cautious and avoid installing any APK files sent through WhatsApp. She warned that such files could compromise devices and steal personal data. Kavitha also reminded everyone not to respond to emails or messages asking for KYC updates, and never to share sensitive information like OTPs, PINs, or passwords.
She added that banks, financial institutions, and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) never ask customers for confidential details. If you are unsure or suspect fraud, it is best to visit your bank directly. Reporting cyber fraud quickly can increase the chances of recovering lost money. Victims of such cases can report incidents by calling the helpline number 1930 or visiting the portal cybercrime.gov.in.
