Man loses ₹1.37 lakh after downloading ‘free TV channels’ app he came across on Facebook

A trader from Shah-e-Alam in Ahmedabad has allegedly lost ₹1.37 lakh after downloading a mobile application that promised free access to international television channels, in what police suspect to be a case of cyber fraud.

As per the complaint lodged at Isanpur Police Station, Khalid Ali Chejara, who runs a medical store in the area, came across an advertisement for an application named ‘TV World’ while browsing Facebook reels on April 1.

The advertisement claimed that users could watch television channels from across the world for free. Lured by the offer, Chejara downloaded the application on his mobile phone.

Police said that when he attempted to use the application the following day, his phone was allegedly compromised. Soon after, he began receiving multiple transaction alerts indicating that money was being debited from his bank account in instalments.

By the time he realised the fraud, a total of ₹1.37 lakh had been siphoned off from his account. He immediately deleted the application and contacted the National Cybercrime Helpline (1930) to report the incident.

Subsequently, Chejara approached Isanpur Police Station and lodged a formal complaint against unidentified persons. A case has been registered, and an investigation has been initiated.

Police officials suspect that the application may have contained malicious software designed to gain unauthorised access to users’ financial information. They have urged citizens to exercise caution while downloading apps from unknown sources or clicking on suspicious links on social media platforms.