Bhubaneswar: Cyber police in Bhubaneswar arrested four men on Wednesday for allegedly duping a businessman of Rs 7 lakh by sending him a fake and malicious file disguised as ‘RTO traffic challan.‘The arrested men are Mohammed Abbas (37), Mohammed Salman (29), and Mohammed Amair (31) — all from Hyderabad — along with Mukesh Turi (27) from Jamtara, Jharkhand.Police revealed that Turi, a school dropout, is linked to an infamous Jamtara cyber fraud network. The gang specializes in creating fake Android Package Kit (APK) files and phishing links, targeting victims using bank account details sourced from across states.According to police sources, Turi frequently traveled by air to different states, acting as a crucial link between mule account holders, agents, and the masterminds. Investigators described him as the “Telangana handler” of the racket.The victim, Jasobanta Jena, lodged a complaint on Sept 15, 2025. He reported receiving the fake APK file via WhatsApp while at work. “I was busy when the message came. Worried, I clicked on it. Later, Rs 7 lakh was siphoned off from my account,” Jena said. He added that the money had been borrowed from a bank to repair his house.Deputy commissioner of police Jagmohan Meena explained that fraudsters are increasingly using deceptive APK files named after legitimate services to trick users. Popular disguises include traffic challans, SBI Yono Rewards, PM Kisan, PM Rojgar, and Subhadra Yojna Rewards. Once installed, these files allow scammers to seize control of devices, accessing banking credentials, personal data, and even OTPs.Odisha police sources confirmed that in the past two months alone, at least 120 similar cases have been reported statewide, with individual losses ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh.“Do not download files or click links from unknown contacts, no matter how convincing they look,” DCP Meena advised.A senior cyber officer added, “Fraudsters are exploiting curiosity. Whether it’s a traffic challan or a digital wedding card, people assume it’s harmless. But spyware-laced APKs can hijack phones completely — from cameras and microphones to GPS and messaging systems — enabling remote theft of sensitive information.”
