Pune: Police Constable Falls Victim Scam, Loses Rs 2.3 Lakh After QR Code Scan At Local Bakery
Saswad, 17th December 2024: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a police constable from Saswad, Pune, fell prey to a sophisticated QR code scam, resulting in a loss of ₹2.3 lakh. The incident has once again highlighted the growing threat of digital payment scams in the country.
The constable, a resident of Saswad, reported the case to Pune Rural Police. The fraud occurred when he attempted to pay a bill at a local bakery. He was instructed to scan a QR code to complete the transaction. Moments after scanning, ₹18,755 was debited from his savings account without authorization. Alarmed, he immediately checked his other accounts and discovered an additional ₹12,250 had been withdrawn from his salary account, leaving only ₹50 in the account.
The situation worsened when he received an OTP notification for a transaction of ₹1.9 lakh from his gold loan account. Despite not sharing the OTP, the transaction was successfully executed. Further attempts were made to use his credit card, with fraudsters attempting two transactions worth ₹14,000. Acting swiftly, the constable froze all his bank accounts and credit cards, averting further losses.
Preliminary police investigations suggest the fraudsters gained access to the constable’s mobile phone and bank credentials through a malicious APK file. It is suspected that the constable may have unknowingly clicked a malicious link, which installed malware or spyware on his device. This allowed the fraudsters to capture sensitive data such as login credentials and OTPs, enabling them to bypass security measures and siphon funds across multiple accounts.
Authorities are also investigating whether the QR code itself was manipulated to redirect the victim to download the APK file or if other deceptive methods were used.
