In an intriguing Mumbai crime, a man lost INR 13 lakh after calling the bank’s legitimate toll-free number. He called the number to ask whether it was open on a particular day. However, he did not get a reply and disconnected. Within the next fifteen minutes, he got a call from another number. The man on the line claimed to be speaking from the bank.
The caller hoodwinked the man into downloading an APK. The next day, the man noticed that different amounts of money had been deducted from his accounts. All in all, he lost INR 13L. The bank is one of the largest banks in India.
This Mumbai crime serves as a reminder that downloading an APK file poses several risks; therefore, users should only download an APK if they are entirely sure of what they are doing. Additionally, they should never modify the settings of any of their apps unless they are fully aware of the consequences.
The APK File Scam
An APK (Android Package Kit) is the file format used by the Android operating system to distribute and install applications. APKs are similar to .exe files in Windows. Users can manually install APK files by enabling “Unknown Sources” in their device settings, which allows them to install apps from outside the Google Play Store. This flexibility is beneficial for developers testing apps or users accessing apps that are not available in their region.
However, downloading APKs from untrusted sources can pose security risks. However, APKS are also those files that are now available on the Google Play Store. They have absolutely no oversight, and only the user is absolutely responsible for using and operating the app.
APK scams are becoming increasingly common. One matter of concern in this particular case is that the man claims he got a call after the call to the bank’s toll-free number disconnected. The fact that the man received a call after calling the toll-free number raises serious concerns as well. The time difference between the two calls was a mere 15 minutes.
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Again, this case is another reason why people should avoid taking calls from unknown numbers, and definitely should not carry out any financial transactions with individuals who contact them out of the blue.
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