Online scams are becoming a growing threat in India. Almost every day, we see individuals falling into the malicious tricks of scammers. While the cyber cell and police are urging citizens to remain vigilant, in a surprising incident, a Pune police constable himself became a victim of cyber fraud, and lost Rs 2.3 lakh in a scam involving QR codes.

The victim, who lives in Saswad near Pune, narrated his ordeal to the Pune Rural Police. According to a report in Times of India, the scam started when the victim attempted to pay the bill at a bakery in Saswad. The victim was instructed to scan a QR code to complete the transaction. However, shortly afterwards, he noticed that there had been an unauthorized debit of Rs 18,755 from his savings account. Concerned over the unauthorized transactions, he checked his other bank accounts and was shocked to see other unauthorized transactions, including Rs 12,250 withdrawn from his salary account, while only Rs 50 was left in the account.

The situation worsened when the constable received a one-time password (OTP) notification for a transaction worth Rs 1.9 lakh from his gold loan account. The transaction was completed successfully despite not sharing the OTP. Additionally, the fraudsters attempted to make two transactions worth Rs 14,000 using her credit card details. Fortunately, the constable took immediate action and froze his bank account and credit card, preventing any further loss.

According to the report, the investigation is ongoing, and the police revealed that the victim lost the money as fraudsters gained access to the constable’s mobile phone and bank accounts through a malicious APK file. It is suspected that the constable may have unknowingly clicked on a malicious link sent by fraudsters, allowing them to install malware or spyware on his device. This malware potentially enabled criminals to bypass security measures, obtain sensitive information such as login credentials and OTPs, and access multiple accounts.

Police are further investigating whether the QR code was manipulated to redirect constables to download the APK file or the fraudsters adopted other deceptive tactics.

With digital payments becoming increasingly common, it is important to protect yourself from such scams. Here are some tips to stay safe:

Verify QR Code: If paying via QR code, make sure the recipient is trustworthy and avoid scanning codes from unofficial or questionable locations.

Check recipient name: Always verify the receiver name when scanning QR codes.

Avoid clicking on suspicious links: Never click on unsolicited links sent via text message, email or social media. These links may lead to phishing sites or install malware on your device.

Use official and verified apps: Always use official and verified apps for digital transactions. Download apps only from trusted platforms like Google Play Store or Apple App Store.