Mumbai Cyber Fraud: 72-Year-Old Cardiologist Duped Of ₹9.49 Lakh In Fake Gas Bill Scam Via WhatsApp APK; Case Registered

Mumbai, April 10: A 72-year-old doctor from Chembur has fallen victim to an online fraud, losing Rs 9.49 lakh after being tricked by cyber fraudsters posing as officials from Mahanagar Gas.

Fraud initiated through WhatsApp message

The complainant, Dr. Nilkamal Harishchandra Tandon, a resident of Chembur, has been practicing as a doctor for several decades and runs a hospital in the same locality.

According to the FIR, on April 8, 2026, Dr. Tandon received a WhatsApp message from a mobile number claiming to be from Mahanagar Gas, stating that his February 2026 gas bill was pending and warning that his gas connection would be disconnected by 9:00 PM if the payment was not made.

Shortly after, he began receiving repeated calls from another number. When he informed the caller that he had already paid the bill, the caller insisted that certain “updates” were required and sent him a file via WhatsApp.

Malicious APK leads to financial loss

The file, an APK, prompted him to pay a nominal amount of Rs 10 using his debit or credit card. After completing the transaction, Dr. Tandon received multiple OTPs and bank alerts on his phone.

Upon checking his bank account, he discovered that six unauthorized transactions had been carried out without his consent. The amounts debited were Rs 1,95,005, Rs 1,94,005, Rs 1,98,005, Rs 1,90,005, Rs 74,523, and Rs 97,463 — totaling Rs 9,49,007.

Complaint filed, probe underway

When he attempted to contact the accused numbers, there was no response. Realizing he had been defrauded, he immediately lodged a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP), and later approached Chembur Police Station.

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Based on his complaint, a case has been registered against unknown persons for cheating and cyber fraud. Police suspect the fraudsters used a malicious APK file to gain unauthorized access to the victim’s banking details. Further investigation is underway.

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