BELAGAVI: A new wave of cyber fraud is sweeping across Karnataka, with citizens in Belagavi, Bengaluru, Shivamogga, and other districts falling victim to a fake e-challan scam. Cybercriminals are exploiting the traffic fine system by sending deceptive APK files disguised as official police challan notifications.
Once unsuspecting victims click on these files, the malware takes control of their mobile phones, allowing fraudsters to access sensitive data, including bank account details. Using this information, criminals have been able to embezzle large sums of money from citizens’ accounts.
In Belagavi, several incidents have already been reported. Fraudsters send messages claiming to be from the police, urging recipients to pay pending fines online through an attached APK file. After installation, victims lose control over their devices, leading to unauthorised withdrawals.
A resident of Shivamogga recently lost Rs 1.5 lakh from two bank accounts after downloading such an app to check his supposed traffic fines. Similarly, a Belagavi driver was defrauded of Rs 40,000.