Mumbai: Online RTO Scam Hits 65-Year-Old Malad Resident, Fraudster Steals ₹7.6 Lakh By Taking Phone Control

Mumbai: A 65-year-old Malad resident lost Rs. 7.60 lakh in an online RTO scam. Through a fake RTO challan app, the scammer allegedly took control of his mobile phone and defrauded him. The Malad police registered a case on November 27 against an unidentified individual under the IT Act, along with charges of cheating.

According to the FIR, the victim, Kamlesh Choukshi, a retired Malad West resident, downloaded the app after purchasing a used car. The seller requested a Rs. 2,000 challan payment, which was made through the app. The following day, the money was mysteriously refunded, a move police believe was a tactic to build trust.

The real shock came on November 26, when Choukshi's phone began buzzing with a series of alarming HDFC Bank notifications. The first alert showed a massive transfer of Rs.4.90 lakh via NEFT. As he was reading it, two more messages followed, one for Rs.1 lakh and another for Rs.1.70 lakh.

Realising he was being robbed in real-time, he alerted his son, who rushed to the bank to report the unauthorised transactions and freeze the account.

Following a formal complaint, the Malad police have registered a case against an unidentified individual for cheating and under the IT Act. Preliminary investigations point to the RTO Challan app as the entry point, which the scammer used to hijack the phone and execute the fraudulent transfers.

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