Trader scammed out of ₹6 lakh in fake Sabarmati Gas APK scam

A wholesale jewellery trader from Ahmedabad allegedly lost ₹6.68 lakh after cyber fraudsters posing as representatives of Sabarmati Gas Limited tricked him into downloading a malicious mobile application, police said.

According to Cyber Crime Police, the fraud took place after the complainant received a WhatsApp message threatening disconnection of his gas connection over an allegedly unpaid bill.

The complainant, Naresh Devanand Sabnani, 35, a resident of Hansol and proprietor of Jagatrai Fashion operating from Sumel Business Park-3 in Raipur, stated that he received a WhatsApp message on May 4.

The message, purportedly sent by 'Sabarmati Gas Limited', warned that his domestic gas connection would be disconnected by 9.30 pm unless the previous month’s bill was updated immediately. The message also asked him to contact a “bill update officer” identified as Tinku Kumar Modi.

Police said Sabnani, believing the message to be genuine as his residence had a Sabarmati Gas connection, contacted the number through WhatsApp.

The caller informed him that his existing application had not been updated and sent him a file named 'Sabaramati Gas Bill Update.apk', asking him to install it in order to continue gas services.

Investigators said the complainant downloaded and installed the APK file on his mobile phone. After opening the application, he was allegedly asked to pay ₹12 and was prompted to enter his HDFC Bank account details and debit card information.

Police said the fraudsters subsequently gained unauthorised access to the complainant’s mobile phone and banking credentials through the malicious application.

The complainant later received multiple OTP messages relating to online transactions, including payments of ₹1.01lakh and ₹84,681 to 'BILLDKJVNL', and ₹4.83 lakh to 'TATAPOWERDELHIDISTRI' through HDFC Bank net banking.

A total of ₹6.68 lakh was transferred from the complainant’s HDFC Bank current account through three separate transactions without his consent.

After realising the fraud, the complainant contacted the national cybercrime helpline 1930 and subsequently approached the Cyber Crime Police Station in Ahmedabad.

Police said the complainant later received communication from HDFC Bank stating that a provisional credit amounting to ₹6.68 lakh had been placed on hold in his account pending investigation into the disputed transactions.