Cyber Fraud Surges In Pune & Pimpri-Chinchwad – Here's How Victims Lose A Lifetime Of Savings

Pimpri-Chinchwad: Cyber fraud cases are rising rapidly across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, with fraudsters using fake bill payment links, investment schemes, customer care scams and APK files to cheat citizens of more than Rs 42 lakh in separate incidents reported this week.

Police officials said cybercriminals are increasingly targeting people through mobile phones, WhatsApp calls, fake apps and phishing links by creating panic or offering attractive financial returns.

Pending MNGL Gas Bill…

In one of the cases, a resident of Chikhali lost Rs 1.58 lakh after receiving a fake message claiming that a pending MNGL gas bill of just Rs 12 would lead to the disconnection of the gas connection. The accused allegedly sent an app file named “BIN MNGL Bill Update” and asked the victim to download it.

After the victim entered credit card details to pay the small amount, fraudsters hacked the phone and withdrew Rs 1,58,800 through multiple transactions from the victim’s South Indian Bank credit card. Chikhali police have registered a case and started an investigation.

RTO Challan APK…

In another incident from Hinjawadi, a young man was cheated of Rs 3.98 lakh after fraudsters sent him an APK file under the pretext of paying an RTO challan. Believing he had a pending traffic fine, the victim downloaded the file sent to his phone. Soon after, he received an OTP, and money was withdrawn from his bank account. A case has been registered at Hinjawadi Police Station.

Police said both cases followed a similar pattern where victims were tricked into downloading malicious APK files, allowing cybercriminals to gain access to phones, banking apps and OTPs.

Fraudsters Posing As Bankers…

Another cyber fraud case was reported from Chinchwad, where a woman lost Rs 6.87 lakh after fraudsters posed as customer care executives and bank officials. The woman had accidentally transferred money to the wrong account and searched for help online.

Fraudsters contacted her, gained her trust and convinced her to join a WhatsApp video call. During the process, they allegedly hacked her mobile phone and forced her to share OTP details, leading to unauthorised withdrawals from her ICICI and HDFC bank accounts.

Fake Investment Scheme In Bavdhan…

Meanwhile, in Bavdhan, a resident was cheated of Rs 28.26 lakh after being lured into fake investment schemes promising returns between five and 20 per cent. According to police, the accused contacted the victim in March and gradually gained trust by promising high profits through the stock market and investment plans.

The victim invested lakhs of rupees over several weeks, but neither the promised returns nor the original investment amount was returned. Bavdhan police have registered a case against two women in connection with the fraud.

Credit Card Scam In Hinjawadi…

In a separate case in Hinjawadi, an unknown person allegedly stole the credit card information of a resident and used it to purchase BookMyShow gift cards worth Rs 2 lakh through online transactions. The victim later approached the cyber portal, and the police registered a formal case on Tuesday.

Police officials said a common pattern across most recent cyber fraud cases is the misuse of fear, urgency and trust. Fraudsters are posing as gas agencies, banks, customer care executives, investment advisers and government authorities to manipulate victims into sharing sensitive information or downloading malicious files.

Cyber experts have repeatedly warned citizens against downloading APK files from unknown sources, sharing OTPs, clicking suspicious payment links or trusting unverified customer care numbers found online.

Police have urged citizens to verify payment requests directly with official companies and avoid installing apps sent through SMS or WhatsApp links. Investigations in all the cases are currently underway.