Shillong, Jun 11: The West Jaintia Hills Police have detected a malicious file masquerading as a traffic fine notice.
According to police, the file titled, ‘rto http://challan.apk’ is circulating on various social media platforms and messaging applications designed to steal banking and personal data from mobile phones.
Police said once installed, the malicious APK can severely compromise a user’s device security. Attackers gain access to sensitive information, including passwords, one-time passwords (OTPs), and financial data. Reports indicate that unsuspecting users are drawn to this file under the pretense of receiving a traffic challan, leading to the installation of a virus that steals personal information.
Police have advised citizens against downloading the APK files from unverified sources. “Verify any traffic challan only through official government websites or authorised apps,” the advisory stated.
Citizens who have already installed the file should immediately disconnect from the internet, uninstall the app, change passwords for banking and email accounts, and run a scan using trusted antivirus software, the advisory said.
Suspicious messages or cyber fraud can be reported to the nearest police station or cybercrime unit. For help, call emergency helpline 112 or cybercrime helpline 1930. Complaints can also be filed at http://cybercrime.gov.in.
