Gas Bill Update Scam: Malicious APK Costs Ahmedabad Businessman Rs 11.5 Lakh

A message about a pending bill or a possible service disconnection may not seem unusual, which makes it easier for fraudsters to use such claims to approach consumers. They often pose as representatives of utility or service companies and use the situation to gain the victim’s trust.

A recent case in Ahmedabad shows how such a scam can escalate. A businessman and his family allegedly lost Rs 11.5 lakh after cybercriminals posing as gas company officials convinced them to update their connection through a mobile application.

How The Fraudsters Tricked The Family

According to a Times of India report, the fraud started when the victim’s brother received a message claiming that their gas connection could be disconnected that night because the previous month’s meter reading had not been updated. He was asked to contact a person who claimed to be a representative of the gas company.

The caller allegedly told the family that the gas meter needed to be updated and that an application was required for the process. A file named “Adani Gas Bill Update.apk” was then sent to the businessman through WhatsApp.

After installing the application, the businessman was asked to provide several permissions, including access to notifications and location. He also entered his consumer details and the customer ID associated with the gas connection. The process raised suspicion when the application asked him to make a Rs 10 payment. He exited the application and deleted it without making the payment.

The businessman soon received an alert that call forwarding had been activated on his phone. He disabled the feature, but the situation escalated shortly afterwards with multiple OTP messages reportedly arriving on his phone within around 30 minutes.

The family then began receiving debit alerts from their bank accounts. The complaint states that transactions were carried out from multiple Bank of India accounts belonging to the businessman and his family members, along with a credit card. In total, 12 transactions were allegedly carried out over two days, which resulted in a loss of Rs 11.5 lakh.

How To Stay Safe From Bill-Related Scams

Consumers should avoid clicking on links or installing applications sent by unknown numbers, even when the message claims to be related to a pending bill or service update. Any such request should be verified directly through the service provider’s official website or app. If an unfamiliar app has already been installed, it should be removed, and the device and bank accounts should be checked for any suspicious activity. Any unauthorised transaction should be reported to the bank and the cybercrime authorities immediately.