Fake RTO APK Scam: Cybercriminals Misuse IPS Officer’s Photo To Target WhatsApp Users, Steal Sensitive Data

Mumbai police have launched an investigation into cybercriminals who allegedly impersonated an IPS officer by using his photograph to distribute a fraudulent APK file on WhatsApp. The incident came to light when a complaint was lodged by head constable MN Wagh of the Cyber Police Station in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Rural district.

The fraudsters created an Instagram profile warning about a deceptive WhatsApp message, which was then distributed via WhatsApp with a message stating that the recipient's vehicle had an outstanding traffic fine. The perpetrators used a WhatsApp account registered in a woman's name, with the Superintendent of Police's official photograph as the account's profile picture.

Police suspect that the photograph was obtained from the IPS officer's website. Once the fake RTO application was installed, hackers gained unauthorized access to the device, enabling them to monitor and steal sensitive data such as contacts, text messages, private photos, personal documents, banking credentials, and OTPs. Mumbai police have warned WhatsApp users about the threat, noting that the malware is designed to run automatically after installation, keeping victims unaware of the data breach.

Under the Information Technology Act, police have registered a case against unidentified cybercriminals under Sections 66C (identity theft) and 66D (cheating by personation using a computer resource).