Bhopal, May 12: The Madhya Pradesh police have dismantled an interstate cyber fraud gang involved in stealing money from bank accounts through malicious APK files and e-SIM swapping.
Authorities reported the arrest of Umesh Das (30) and Uttam Kumar Das (23) from Madhupur in Jharkhand on May 7. They were brought to Madhya Pradesh on May 11.
According to police, the suspects allegedly committed fraud amounting to ₹309,917 by gaining remote access to a rural resident’s mobile phone in Narmadapur district. They diverted banking alerts and one-time passwords through e-SIM activation.
The case came to light after Chhotelal Kushwah (45) from Dumra village filed a complaint on March 17, stating that money had been withdrawn from his bank account through fraudulent means.
Following the complaint, a special investigation team was formed under the supervision of Narmadapur Superintendent of Police Sai Krishna S. Thota.
After a technical investigation, the team traveled to Jharkhand, where they monitored the suspects for four consecutive days before executing a raid on May 7.
A senior police officer from the cyber department informed the press in Bhopal that the police team operated discreetly and maintained surveillance on the suspects’ residential area while disguised.
Investigations revealed that the suspects sent APK files via social media platforms and messaging applications. Once victims installed the files and granted permissions, the fraudsters gained access to SMS messages, one-time passwords, banking alerts, contact lists, and other data stored on their mobile phones.
The gang then generated e-SIMs linked to the victims’ mobile numbers, allowing them to receive one-time passwords and banking alerts directly.
Police have seized mobile phones, ATM cards, and bank passbooks allegedly used in the crime.
Authorities are advising the public to avoid installing APK files from unknown sources and to refrain from clicking on suspicious links.
Citizens are also urged to contact their banks and mobile operators immediately if their mobile network suddenly stops working or if they receive unauthorized e-SIM activation alerts.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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