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Mumbai Judge Loses ₹93,000 After Installing Fake Customer-Care App

The case highlights a rise in phone-help scams that steal money through rogue downloads.

Overview

  • The judge, who noticed a phone display problem Monday, called a number he believed was Samsung support and installed an APK sent on WhatsApp after paying ₹10 twice to register a complaint.
  • Hours later he found two unauthorized transfers of ₹90,000 and ₹3,000 from his State Bank of India account to a PhonePe ID reportedly in the name of Pappu Sachin Yadav.
  • Mumbai Police registered an FIR at Tardeo Police Station against an unknown person under BNS cheating provisions and Information Technology Act sections on identity theft and online impersonation.
  • Investigators say the APK likely gave the caller remote access to the device and banking data, which let the thief move money through UPI without further warning.
  • Police tie the case to a broader fraud surge, noting a recent Jamtara arrest of a 25-year-old accused of duping a Bombay High Court judge of ₹6.02 lakh and urging victims to use official support channels and call the 1930 cyber helpline.