Lucknow: Police have made their first arrest in 34 cases of cyber fraud in which criminals allegedly posed as employees of Green Gas Ltd and tricked consumers into installing malicious APK files to siphon money from their bank accounts.Lucknow police arrested a 45-year-old woman, identified as Saloni Kumari, from Mumbai for allegedly duping a man of Rs 23.5 lakh. Her associates remain at large.Police said Kumari, a Class XII pass-out, was apprehended by cybercrime police under Operation CYVAJRA, the Uttar Pradesh Police’s statewide drive against cybercriminals. Officers recovered Rs 1.08 lakh cash and a mobile phone from her possession and are working to trace the broader network and the movement of the proceeds of crime.Investigators said the members of the gang targeted Green Gas Ltd consumers by posing as company representatives through WhatsApp messages and phone calls. They were told that their gas connection details or bill information required an urgent update. To complete the process, they were persuaded to download an APK file and make a small payment, generally around Rs 10.According to police, the APK file was designed to capture sensitive banking information. Once a person entered debit card details and other credentials, the fraudsters gained access to financial data and one time passwords, enabling unauthorised withdrawals and transfers from accounts.The arrest was made after a senior citizen in Lucknow lodged a report claiming that he lost Rs 23.5 lakh in a cyber fraud. During the investigation, officers analysed mobile numbers, bank accounts and transaction trails. Technical assistance from telecom operators and banks helped investigators track leads to Mumbai, where Kumari was located and taken into custody.Police suspect Kumari had been associated with the cyber fraud network for nearly five years. Investigators claimed her role extended beyond receiving proceeds and included helping route money through a mechanism involving credit card bill payments.According to officers, she allegedly offered acquaintances a 10% commission for allowing her to pay their credit card bills. She would collect credit card details and pass them to other gang members. Funds siphoned from bank accounts were used to clear those credit card dues through online platforms. After the bills were paid, the cardholders would hand over an equivalent amount in cash, which was then deposited into accounts specified by the gang, police said.Officials said they have obtained CCTV footage that shows Kumari visiting a shop and facilitating one such credit card payment transaction. The footage is being examined as part of the investigation.Police also suspect the gang had access to Green Gas consumer data, which enabled them to make convincing calls and messages. Police advised residents not to download APK files received via WhatsApp or other platforms and to verify bill-related communication directly with service providers. People may contact the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or report incidents at cybercrime.gov.in.
