Cyber Fraud: Woman loses Rs 17 lakh while booking doctor's appointment

Mumbai: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 68-year-old woman from Churchgate allegedly lost Rs 17 lakh after unknowingly downloading a fake mobile app while trying to book a doctor’s appointment for her son.

At the time of making the appointment, the woman was unaware she was being scammed. She only realised something was wrong when she visited her bank to update her passbook, and the staff informed her that her fixed deposits of Rs 5.4 lakh and Rs 11.6 lakh had been closed, with the money transferred to her account and subsequently withdrawn.

Shocked and distressed, the woman approached the police. Based on her complaint, an FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the unidentified fraudsters.

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As per the TOI news report, the scam occurred on September 1, when she searched online for a doctor’s clinic number for her son. She called one of the numbers that appeared in the search results, and the person who answered asked her to download an app named “appointment booking” to confirm the appointment.

The woman followed the instructions and entered her personal details into the app. However, soon after, the app disappeared from her phone. She later managed to contact the doctor directly through his visiting card and booked the appointment successfully. She was unaware that her phone might have been compromised.

A few weeks later, when she visited the bank, she discovered the fraudulent withdrawals. She immediately called the national cybercrime helpline number 1930 and filed a complaint. The South Region Cyber Police registered the FIR on September 17 and are currently investigating the case.

Police officials said, "The app she had downloaded could have been malicious and could have given the fraudsters access to details stored in her phone."

"We have cautioned citizens against downloading unverified apps. Check whether the app is asking for access to suspicious or unnecessary functions. Also verify who the app's publisher is and read reviews," advised a cybercrime investigator.

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