Ahmedabad: A 50-year-old computer dealer from Isanpur allegedly lost ₹95,000 after contacting a fraudulent customer care number found through a Google search for Rapido support. The fraudster reportedly sent him a malicious APK file that enabled access to his phone, leading to an unauthorised transfer from his bank account.
Isanpur police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.
According to the complaint, Dhaval Bachubhai Shah, who runs Mit Computer Services on Ashram Road, had booked a Rapido delivery service on October 7 to transport a printer from Vastrapur to Stavya Hospital in Ellisbridge. However, the delivery person allegedly left without handing over the printer, leaving the order unresolved.
Shah subsequently searched online for Rapido customer care details and called a number listed in the search results. The person who answered allegedly posed as a customer support executive and sent him an application file named ‘Customer Support.apk’, asking him to install it.
The caller then instructed Shah to keep his phone switched on, enable screen sharing and make a payment of ₹1 through Google Pay. Shortly after following these instructions, Shah discovered that ₹95,000 had been debited from his Axis Bank account.
The amount was reportedly transferred to an account held with Bank of Maharashtra. Shah told investigators that he had not shared any one-time password (OTP) before the transaction.
Following the incident, he contacted the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 and approached the Isanpur police. Investigators are now working to identify the person operating the fraudulent customer care number and trace the account that received the money.
The incident highlights how cybercriminals exploit online searches for customer support to target people facing service-related problems. Fraudsters may use fake helpline numbers and malicious Android application package (APK) files to gain access to victims’ devices and facilitate unauthorised transactions.
