Kolkata: Due to back-to-back frauds occurring during bank application upgrades, Kolkata Police has launched a probe into multiple cases where cyber fraudsters are targeting bank account holders by asking them to upgrade their app to ‘fix’ their technical glitches.In one case, a Behala resident lost Rs 6.6 lakh. According to the complaint letter received by Thakurpukur Police, the complainant received a WhatsApp message from a woman called Nikita on March 11, which included a link to download an app named after a public sector bank. After joining a WhatsApp group titled “Securities Group -Q-6,” the victim was persuaded to make several online transactions. The transactions, totaling Rs 06,06,730, were made under the pretence of investing in securities.The group, administered by individuals using aliases such as “Bank Securities Hot Line” and “Bank Securities Stock Service,” provided the victim with bank account details for transferring funds. The accounts were linked to entities like a fish firm, a hardware enterprise and a local soft drink company.The detective department has begun a special vigil on Google Playstore against fake apps that has led Kolkatans to lodge over dozens of cases in the past six months. Now, drafted by cyber expert Bivas Chatterjee, cops have decided to send a letter to Google to monitor these apps and remove them as they were “becoming means to commit financial frauds.”“These apps are uploaded for only a few weeks, or even days. Once they get reported for fraud, they are removed not only by Google but even their makers. They then reintroduce the same app with a new name and a new user interface,” explained an investigating officer. In a similar fashion, a 63-year-old resident of Ballygunge was allegedly swindled of Rs 16,50,700 on Wednesday after being manipulated by fraudsters posing as bank officials.
