APK link cost delivery executive of Rs 2.5 lakh, cyber fraudster held

New Delhi: A 23-year old man from Bihar, accused of running an APK-based cyber fraud racket that duped a delivery executive, was arrested. Accused Vikash Kumar Gupta had previously provided bank accounts to cyber fraudsters for routing money before forming his own gang involving mobile phone compromise scams using malicious APK files.

According to police, a case was registered after the complainant reported that Rs 2.5 lakh was fraudulently withdrawn from his bank account. The complainant, who works as a delivery executive, told cops that while he was on duty, an unknown mobile application was automatically installed on his mobile phone. He later discovered that the money had been siphoned off from his account.

DCP (north) Raja Banthia said, “A police team examined the complainant’s mobile phone but found no malicious application. The APK file had been deleted after the transaction. Technical analysis and scrutiny of IP logs later led the team to a beneficiary bank account in Bihar, where Rs 2 lakh from the cheated amount was transferred.”

Police said that the account belonged to Gupta and the money was withdrawn using self-cheques. IP logs allegedly confirmed that the accused himself was operating the account.

Raids were conducted at the accused’s residence in Chhapra, but he was missing. Cops said his family members did not cooperate during the investigation. The accused was finally apprehended from Delhi on May 5.

During interrogation, Vikash allegedly disclosed that a few months ago, one of his accomplices had asked him to provide a bank account for receiving cheated money in exchange for a 10% commission. Due to financial difficulties, he agreed and became involved in cyber fraud activities, police said.

The amount has been transferred back to the complainant’s account.