Surat Cyber Crime Police have dismantled a massive ₹64 crore cyber fraud operation, arresting an 18-year-old identified as Rohit Virendra Singh Shakya. The teenager is alleged to be the architect behind a network of AI-assisted malicious Android applications that mimicked legitimate banking and government services.
The Brains Behind the Malware
Shakya, a Class 11 dropout from Uttar Pradesh, reportedly leveraged YouTube tutorials and artificial intelligence tools to acquire coding skills. He then developed sophisticated malware, creating 121 fake APK files designed to impersonate popular banking, payment, and government applications.
These malicious apps were sold to cybercrime syndicates operating in known hotspots like Jamtara (Jharkhand), Haryana, and Rajasthan. Shakya offered these tools on a subscription basis, charging between ₹10,000 and ₹15,000 per month for access to his fraudulent ecosystem.
How the Scam Operated
Once installed on a victim's Android phone, Shakya's malware granted fraudsters remote access to critical personal and financial information. This included one-time passwords (OTPs), banking passwords, and other sensitive data, allowing criminals to empty bank accounts with ease.
The investigation revealed that these malicious applications were installed on over 21,672 mobile phones, leading to more than 54,000 fraudulent banking transactions. Authorities estimate the total financial loss linked to this network at approximately ₹64.38 crore.
Unraveling the Nationwide Fraud
The extensive probe began following a complaint from a Surat businessman who lost ₹5 lakh after downloading a fake "PNB One.apk" file. Believing it to be a genuine Punjab National Bank application, the victim installed it, inadvertently granting cybercriminals access to his phone and bank account.
The businessman reported the incident via the national cybercrime helpline 1930, prompting Surat Cyber Crime Police to launch a technical investigation. This led them to Shakya, who was eventually traced and arrested at a hotel in Kanpur.
Ongoing Investigation
Upon his arrest, police seized two mobile phones and a laptop from Shakya. A forensic examination of these devices is currently underway to identify additional victims, uncover potential accomplices, and establish any broader interstate connections within the cybercrime network.