Goa: 71 year old man loses Rs 1.93 lakh in hospital appointment fraud

Panaji: A 71-year-old retired employee from Porvorim, Goa, allegedly lost Rs 1.93 lakh to cyber fraud while searching online for an alternative phone number to book an appointment at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim. Police have registered a case and frozen Rs 44,841 of the amount lost.

The incident occurred after the man failed to get through to the hospital on its official telephone line. He subsequently searched Google for an alternative contact number and called one of the numbers displayed in the search results. 

The person who answered reportedly sent him an Android Package Kit (APK) file, claiming it was required to complete the appointment booking process. The victim opened the file and followed the instructions provided. He realised something was wrong only after receiving bank alerts notifying him that money had been withdrawn from his account.

The total reported loss amounted to Rs 1,93,096. Porvorim police have secured a lien on Rs 44,841, while further investigation is underway to trace the remaining funds and identify those responsible.

According to the police, cybercriminals routinely utilise search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques or purchase sponsored advertisements to push fraudulent customer care numbers to the top of Google search results, making them appear legitimate to unsuspecting users. People searching for hospital contacts or other service numbers may mistake these listings for official channels, Navhind Times reported. 

A senior police officer said this was the first reported case of its kind directly associated with GMC, although APK-based frauds have been reported elsewhere in Goa.

In such scams, criminals circulate malicious APK files disguised as legitimate applications, documents or updates. Once installed, the software may allow unauthorised access to a victim’s device and expose banking details, potentially enabling fraudsters to carry out transactions without the person’s knowledge.

The incident highlights the risks of relying on unverified phone numbers found through online searches, particularly when booking medical appointments or contacting public institutions.