A 45-year-old man in Mangaluru allegedly lost Rs 1.96 lakh in a cyber fraud after downloading a mobile application that was advertised as offering free access to all television channels.
The victim, Ravichandra, said he had clicked on a Facebook advertisement on 3 November. The advertisement promised that viewers could watch all television channels free of charge.
The advertisement directed him to install a mobile application named LWTV, which he downloaded and installed on his mobile phone.
Ravichandra said that, after installing the app, he was asked to make a subscription payment of Rs 9.99. He paid the amount through his Google Pay account.
A free TV offer that cost Rs 1.96 lakh
A day later, on 4 November, Ravichandra discovered that a sum of Rs 98,000 had been debited from his account without his knowledge.
The same evening, another Rs 98,000 was debited from his account, taking the total loss to Rs 1.96 lakh.
Ravichandra tried to find the app on his mobile phone to check what had happened, but he could not locate it. He then contacted his bank and asked for the payments to be frozen.
No alerts, and the fraud found by chance
Ravichandra said he had not received any SMS or email alert about the transactions. He realised that the money had been debited only when he checked his account statement.
A photocopy of the original complaint is enclosed herewith the article for reference.
The incident shows how mobile applications linked to advertisements on social media can be used to access a victim's account.
The complaint and the investigation
Ravichandra filed a complaint with the CEN Crime police station in Mangaluru. The police have registered a case and begun an investigation.
Police are trying to trace the people behind the fake app and the advertisement. They are also examining the bank transactions to trace the money.
Police have urged people to be cautious about advertisements on social media that promise free services, and to install mobile applications only from official sources.
How to stay safe from such frauds
Do not download apps from links in social media advertisements. Download apps only from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Do not share your UPI PIN, OTP, or bank details with anyone. Bank officials and police never ask for these details.
If money is debited from your account without your permission, contact your bank immediately and report the fraud on the national helpline 1930 or at cybercrime.gov.in.
