Mumbai: Charkop man falls prey to app designed to dupe loan seekers
In a unique modus operandi, no one will call or ask for an OTP, but only an app will guide the loan applicant to click on links for processing the loan, and the applicant eventually ends up debiting money.
Representative Image |
Mumbai: The cyber-fraudsters keep using innovative ways and technology to trick and dupe unsuspecting victims. In a recent case, a 29-year-old man working as a senior executive in a financial institution, who wanted a Rs 5 lakh loan came across a loan app while surfing the internet.
The said app was designed in such a way that it would direct the applicant to different UPI links to make the payment in order to complete the loan process, thereby duping the applicant. The victim has lost Rs. 1.12 lakh due to the said app.
According to the Charkop police, the complainant is a resident of Kandivali. The victim, who was in need of some personal loans, had recently downloaded a mobile loan app on his phone after coming across information about the said app on social media.
The victim then shared his name, address, and PAN details on the app and logged into it. The victim then entered a loan requirement of Rs 5 lakh into the app.
The app then started showing various processing steps. It directed the victim to pay up for the membership fee, review fee, GST, and guarantee deposit.
The victim kept on clicking the links
The victim kept on clicking the links that directed him to different UPIs, and the victim ended up paying Rs 1.12 lakh. When the victim was directed to pay more money, he suspected something foul and decided not to pay further money, the police said.
The victim then immediately visited the BKC Cyber Police Station and, with the help of police, managed to free Rs 90,000. He later approached the Charkop police and got an offence registered in the matter.
The police have registered a case under Sections 419 (cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 66C (identity theft) and 66D (cheating by personation by using computer resources) of the Information Technology Act.
"This is a unique modus operandi used by the fraudsters wherein they have used a mobile app specifically designed to dupe the victims in a way wherein the victims would keep on clicking the links provided in the app, assuming that they are completing some loan process, and eventually end up losing their money," said a police officer.
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