Pune: Student Duped of Rs 2.02 Lakh in Remote Access Scam After Fake Traffic Challan Message
Karvenagar, 29th May 2025: A 22-year-old architecture student studying at a reputed college in Karvenagar fell victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing ₹2.02 lakh after she unknowingly downloaded remote access software through a fake traffic challan message.
The third-year student, originally from Wardha, resides in her college hostel. On May 17, her friend received an SMS claiming to be an RTO challan for a traffic violation involving a scooter that both of them occasionally use. Since the friend was unable to open the link, she forwarded it to the student who had used the two-wheeler on May 16.
“Believing that she might have committed a traffic violation, the student clicked on the link to settle the fine,” said Senior Police Inspector Vishwajeet Kaingade of Warje Police Station. “The moment she tapped on the link, a remote access application was silently downloaded on her phone.”
Unaware of the scam, the student entered her bank account number, UPI details, and PIN under the impression that she was paying the fine. In reality, the information granted the cybercriminals full access to her phone and financial apps.
“Once they had access, the fraudsters monitored her activity, recorded keystrokes, and by late night on May 17, they initiated 13 transactions that drained ₹2.02 lakh from her bank account,” Inspector Kaingade explained. “The student discovered the fraudulent deductions only the next morning when she checked her phone and found a series of debit notifications.”
Remote access scams are a growing threat in India, with cybercriminals typically disguising their malware-laced messages as legitimate alerts from government bodies or trusted institutions. Victims are often lured into installing software that grants scammers silent control over their devices.
After realising the fraud, the student promptly deleted the suspicious app and approached the Warje police to file a complaint. “We are now tracing the bank accounts where the money was transferred and are working to identify the perpetrators,” Kaingade added.
Police have urged the public to be cautious while clicking on unknown links and to avoid entering sensitive financial information without verifying the source. Authorities have also reminded citizens to never install apps or software from unverified links, even if they appear to be from official sources.
