Bank of Baroda GM Loses ₹4.27 Lakh in Cyber Fraud

A General Manager at Bank of Baroda's Fort branch lost ₹4.27 lakh in a cyber fraud case that began when his personal secretary connected to the free public Wi-Fi network at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on July 18.

The secretary, Narayan Swamy, connected his mobile phone to the Wi-Fi network, and immediately, cyber criminals allegedly hacked his phone. A suspicious file named 'RTO Challan APK' was sent to all the contacts stored on his device.

The General Manager, Gobinda Biswas, downloaded and installed the APK file, believing it to be a genuine RTO challan. As soon as the file was installed, his phone was compromised, and the same malicious message was forwarded to his contacts.

On July 21, after noticing unusual behaviour on his phone, Biswas deleted the APK file. However, he had not received any transaction alerts from the bank at that time. The fraud came to light on August 3, when he received his credit card statement, revealing that hackers had carried out five unauthorised transactions worth ₹4,27,264 within just 28 minutes on July 21.

The bank's credit card department blocked the card as a precaution after detecting the suspicious transactions and being unable to reach the cardholder. Biswas subsequently lodged a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and approached the Mumbai Police.

The MRA Marg Police registered an FIR on August 4 and have launched an investigation into the incident. They are now investigating the fake APK file, the cyber fraud, and whether the public Wi-Fi network was exploited as part of the attack.

This incident highlights the dangers of using free public Wi-Fi networks, especially in crowded areas like railway stations. It is essential for users to be cautious when connecting to public Wi-Fi and to verify the authenticity of any files or messages before downloading or installing them.

The Mumbai Police are taking steps to increase awareness about cyber fraud and to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. The public is advised to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities immediately.

The incident is a reminder of the importance of cybersecurity and the need for individuals and organisations to take measures to protect themselves from cyber threats.

In recent times, there have been several cases of cyber fraud in Mumbai, and the police are working to combat this growing menace. The public can play a crucial role in preventing cyber fraud by being aware of the risks and taking necessary precautions.