Hyderabad: A city-based doctor lost Rs 10.85 lakh after providing his details to a website to claim a purported income-tax refund of about Rs 17,000.
The victim, Dr Suresh (name changed), 40, is a resident of Kompally in Hyderabad. He received a text message on his mobile phone directing him to submit a formal request to claim an approved refund of Rs 17,259 for his income-tax returns. The message contained a link which led him to a web page where he provided his bank account details, phone number, and email ID.
A week later, he received a message directing him to verify his mobile number through another weblink upon clicking which his phone automatically downloaded an application called t-mobile. Subsequently, he received a notification that the verification would complete in 24 hours after which the refund would be deposited to his account.
The victim checked his bank account two days later and found that around 17 illegal transactions had been made and Rs 10.85 lakh siphoned of. He approached the Cyberabad cyber crime police and lodged a complaint on May 20.
Prima facie, the investigation has revealed that the link sent by the crooks was meant to initiate the installation of a remote access application on his phone which enabled them to view all the activities carried out on the phone.
City-based cybercrime expert Akhil Athreya said that the modus operandi was similar to that of clickjacking, where users are kept in dark about the actual purpose of the website which collects personal information, thereby creating the opportunity to rob victims.
