Hyderabad: Taking advantage of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) crisis in the country, cybercriminals are now targeting desperate consumers by promising quick cylinder deliveries and siphoning off people’s hard-earned money from their bank accounts, Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar cautioned on Saturday, March 14.
Highlighting an incident that occurred in Maharashtra’s Dombivli, the Sajjanar said that two women were contacted by cybercriminals posing as employees of Mahanagar Gas Limited and asked them to update their gas cylinder information.
The fraudsters then sent an APK file via WhatsApp, instructed the victims to download it on their mobiles and fill the form inside it. However, when the women installed the file and entered the details, a whopping Rs 4 lakh vanished from their bank accounts.
Warning against such scams, the Police Commissioner asked people to be vigilant against APK files sent by unknown persons, saying that downloading such files gives complete control of your mobile to the fraudsters and all the one-time passwords (OTP) and bank messages go directly to them.
No gas agencies or government institutions ever send third-party files to record consumer details, Sajjanar warned, advising people to only use official apps and websites for gas booking or KYC updates. If any suspicion arises, one should directly approach their gas agency office.
He also warned against fake advertisements on social media or links sent through WhatsApp and SMS, promising immediate cylinder delivery and extra cylinders.
“Under no circumstances should you click on such suspicious links. Even if you see attractive offers, never share your bank account details, OTP, UPI PIN, or similar information with unknown individuals,” the Commissioner of Police said.
In case one falls victim to a cybercrime, Sajjanar asked them to immediately reach out through the helpline 1930 or file a complaint on the cybercrime portal.
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