'Your Connection Will Be Cut': How Fraudsters Masked as Adani Gas Drained ₹1 Lakh From Narol Man
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Cyber fraudsters duped a Narol-based technician out of ₹1 lakh by tricking him into downloading malicious software masked as an Adani Gas bill update.
Narol police registered a criminal case against two unidentified mobile number holders after Kirtikumar Patel, a technician working at a private firm in the Vatva GIDC, reported the financial theft.
The incident unfolded on August 28 when Patel's son-in-law forwarded him a pending bill notice purportedly from Adani Gas Distribution Private Limited. Patel called the contact number listed on the document. The receiver posed as a utility representative and instructed Patel to download two application files sent via WhatsApp, deceptively named 'Adani Gas Bill Update' and 'Gas bill update'.
Device Mirroring and Unauthorised Debits
The moment Patel installed the unverified APK (Android Package Kit) files, his mobile phone froze completely. Text message notifications began flooding the screen in rapid succession.
After managing to bypass the frozen screen, Patel accessed his ICICI Bank application. He discovered multiple unauthorised transactions that had drained ₹1 lakh from his account in staggered chunks. He immediately dialled the 1930 national cyber helpline to freeze his account before filing a formal complaint at the Narol police station.
A Growing Modus Operandi
Ahmedabad has recorded at least 35 similar cases over the past six months. Scammers routinely threaten users with immediate gas supply disconnections to trigger panic and force rushed compliance.
Cybercrime investigators note that these third-party APK files bypass official application stores to deploy device-mirroring malware. Once installed, the files grant hackers sweeping device permissions—including call logs, screen sharing, and SMS access. This allows the syndicates to silently read incoming One-Time Passwords (OTPs) and authorise massive bank transfers while the victim remains locked out of their own phone.
