Tech-Savvy Victim Falls for APK Scam After Fake Tata Power Call, Loses $3K+

A retired IT professional, known for raising awareness about cyber fraud, was allegedly defrauded of around Rs 25 lakh by cybercriminals. The victim, under stress due to a personal matter, was targeted during the timeframe he expected a call. Initially unconcerned due to a small balance, he later discovered the fraudsters had obtained a loan in his name, leading to a much larger loss. The criminals used the stolen funds to pay credit card bills. A police officer confirmed the advanced tactics of cyber fraudsters, who possess vast consumer data. The best way to stay secure is to avoid phishing links, calls from unknown numbers, and installing APK files from untrusted sources. If a fraud is suspected, report it immediately to 1930 and then visit the nearest police station. The fraud unfolded after the complainant requested a name change for his electricity connection with Tata Power. He received a confirmation call from someone posing as a Tata Power official, who had detailed information. The victim, occupied with a stressful situation, installed an APK file as instructed, leading to debits from his bank. G Vimal Kumar, a cybercrime expert, noted that victims often fall for scams due to avoidable exposure and misconfigured privacy settings. He recommends silencing unknown callers, restricting messages and group additions, enabling two-step verification, disabling link previews, and enabling IP address protection in calls. Tata Power has issued an advisory warning consumers against