In a major breakthrough, Kochi city cyber police have arrested two suspects, Atul Kumar Singh (32) and Manish Singh (24), in connection with a large-scale cyber fraud involving fake APK files impersonating the M Parivahan app. A third accused, a minor, was served a legal notice and included in the case.
According to police, the fraudsters exploited WhatsApp accounts without two-factor authentication, gaining unauthorized access to send phishing messages to other users. Once victims downloaded the fake APK claiming to be the M Parivahan app for paying traffic fines, their devices were compromised. This allowed the fraudsters remote control and access to the victims’ WhatsApp, e-commerce apps, and even credit card details.
In one reported incident, a Kochi resident was tricked into installing the malicious app and lost Rs85,000 through fraudulent gift card purchases made from his credit card.
The cyber cell traced the source of the operation to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, where the accused were arrested following warrants issued by a local court. Investigations revealed the network may have cheated hundreds of victims out of crores of rupees, using the funds for luxury spending and cryptocurrency investments.
So far, 96 complaints have been filed in Kochi alone, with over 575 victims reported statewide in Kerala.
Police urge the public to enable two-factor authentication on all online accounts to protect against such scams and remind users never to install apps from unverified sources.
