In a striking reminder that cybercriminals are targeting law enforcement officials alongside ordinary citizens, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) attached to the Panjagutta Police Station in Hyderabad fell victim to a financial scam. The officer lost ₹49,139 from his bank account within moments of interacting with a fraudulent link disguised as a traffic challan notification. The incident has sent ripples through the city’s police force, emphasizing how sophisticated malware-driven tactics are being used to bypass basic digital security awareness.
The cyber fraud unfolded after ASI Narasayya received a series of text alerts on his mobile phone indicating that he had outstanding RTA (Regional Transport Authority) traffic fines. Trusting the notification to be genuine, he clicked on an Android Application Package (APK) file link embedded within the message. Upon downloading and opening the file, malicious software silently harvested his sensitive personal data and mobile banking credentials, allowing the scammers to gain unauthorized remote access to his bank account. The officer discovered the breach only after receiving subsequent automated text messages from his bank confirming multiple debit transactions made without his consent.
Realizing his account had been compromised, ASI Narasayya immediately contacted the central cybercrime helpline number, 1930, to freeze further fraudulent fund transfers. The Hyderabad Cyber Crime wing has formally registered a case and initiated a digital forensic investigation to track the recipient bank accounts and locate the source of the malicious link. Meanwhile, senior Hyderabad police officials continue to urge the public to remain extremely vigilant against APK file scams, fake digital arrests, and unsolicited OTP requests, reiterating that legitimate government bodies never distribute applications via random text links.
