Pune Man Duped Of ₹2.75 Lakh After Opening Fake RTO Traffic Violation APK File

Pune: A 57-year-old man from Sadashiv Peth was duped of Rs 2.75 lakh after cyber fraudsters sent him a malicious APK file claiming to contain details of a traffic violation notice from the Regional Transport Office (RTO).

According to police reports, the incident took place between December 18 and 19, 2025. The victim later approached the Vishrambaug Police Station (under the Pune City Police Commissionerate) and filed a complaint after noticing unauthorised transactions from his bank account.

Police said the fraudsters sent an APK file to the victim’s mobile phone, claiming it contained information about a traffic rule violation issued by the RTO. When the victim downloaded and opened the file, the cybercriminals allegedly gained access to his mobile phone.

Soon after, Rs 2.75 lakh was fraudulently transferred from his bank account to another account without his knowledge.

After discovering the unauthorised withdrawals, the victim contacted the police and registered a complaint.

‘Rise In Fraud Cases Involving APKs’

Police Inspector Arun Godke of Vishrambaug Police Station said there has been a rise in cyber fraud cases involving APK files in recent months. In many cases, fraudsters send such files under the pretext of traffic violation notices, pending electricity bills, or gas bill payments.

He explained that once such a file is downloaded, malware can gain access to the victim’s mobile phone and banking details, allowing criminals to carry out fraudulent transactions.

Meanwhile, traffic police have urged citizens to verify any app or link before downloading it or making payments. Authorities have also advised people not to open APK files sent from unknown numbers and to confirm the authenticity of such messages before downloading attachments or sharing financial details.