3 weeks ago
Banker loses Rs 4.27 lakh in CSMT Wi-Fi malware scam
A man who works as a manager at a bank in Mumbai, India, had money stolen from his credit card.
The thief tricked him with a fake message that looked like a traffic fine from the government's transport office.
The message asked him to install an app, but the app was actually a computer virus.
The virus may have gotten onto his helper's phone through free Wi-Fi at a famous train station called CSMT.
The virus then spread to more than 200 people on the phone's contact list.
Bad people used the virus to make five secret purchases with his credit card, spending around 4.27 lakh rupees - a very large amount of money.
The man did not get any text message warnings about the purchases.
He only found out when his credit card bill arrived.
Now the police are investigating and telling everyone to be careful with public Wi-Fi and apps from people they do not know.
Mumbai Police are investigating a Rs 4,27,264 cyber fraud after Bank of Baroda general manager Gobinda Biswas (56) lost the money through five unauthorised credit card transactions.
Investigators suspect the fraud began after his personal secretary Narayan Swami (also reported as Swamy) connected his phone to the free public Wi-Fi at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
A malicious Android APK disguised as an RTO traffic challan was automatically forwarded through messaging applications to more than 200 contacts, including senior bank officials.
Biswas received the fake challan message on July 18, installed the app, and deleted it on July 21 after noticing unusual phone activity - but the five transactions had already occurred within 28 minutes that day.
The fraud came to light on August 3 via his credit card statement; the bank blocked the card after failing to reach him, and an FIR was registered at MRA Marg police on August 4.
- Who
- Gobinda Biswas (56), general manager at Bank of Baroda's Fort branch in Mumbai, whose personal secretary Narayan Swami's phone was allegedly compromised.
- What
- A cyber fraud in which Rs 4,27,264 was stolen through five unauthorised credit card transactions after installation of a malware-laced Android APK disguised as an RTO traffic challan.
- Where
- Mumbai, India; the suspected infection point was the free public Wi-Fi network at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
- When
- The fake challan message was received on July 18, the unauthorised transactions occurred on July 21, the fraud was discovered on August 3, and an FIR was registered on August 4.
- Why
- Investigators suspect the device was infected through public Wi-Fi, a fake hotspot imitating the genuine network, or another method used by cybercriminals to steal financial information.
Key facts
- Victim
- Gobinda Biswas, 56, General Manager at Bank of Baroda's Fort branch, resident of Bhakti Park, Wadala
- Amount lost
- Rs 4,27,264 via five unauthorised credit card transactions within 28 minutes
- Suspected entry point
- Free public Wi-Fi at CSMT; investigators also probing a possible fake hotspot
- Malware
- Android APK disguised as an RTO traffic challan
- Timeline
- Fake message received July 18; app deleted July 21 after unusual phone activity
- Fraud discovered
- August 3, via credit card statement; card blocked by bank after failed contact attempts
- Malware spread
- Automatically forwarded to more than 200 contacts through messaging apps
- Police action
- FIR registered by MRA Marg Police on August 4; complaint filed on National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
Sources
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