A fresh cheat by the name of PM Kisan Yojana has surfaced in Madhya Pradesh. The farmer from Khandwa district lost ₹51,000 from his bank account after he had installed an APK file which was a duplicate one sent to him via WhatsApp. The incident sent shivers down the spines of people, particularly those who are dependent on government schemes like PM Kisan.
Fraud Begins with a WhatsApp Message
The incident took place in Pokharkala village in the jurisdiction of the Piplod police station. A farmer, Dinesh Patel, got an unknown number WhatsApp message. The message was said to be from the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme and came with an APK file. Suspecting it to be something related to his PM Kisan registration or payment, Dinesh downloaded the file without verifying where it originated from.
One thing he did not know was that the file was malicious. Just after he downloaded the file, his mobile phone was hacked. The cheat had full control of his phone and had registered for internet banking services undetected. Subsequently, the cheat transferred a total amount of ₹51,815 from his account through his associated credit card by Dinesh.
Victim Realized Too Late
Dinesh found out about the fraud only after receiving a bank SMS alert of the transaction. He was shocked, immediately called his bank, and went to the SP Office to complain to the Cyber Crime Cell.
During the investigation period, Dinesh realized that not only had his phone been hacked but he had unknowingly complied with a series of instructions that were continuously being received in the form of messages from the hacker. This enabled the scammer to maintain command and steal sensitive information such as OTPs and bank details.
Police Investigation in Progress
Piplod Police Station In-Charge Inspector S.N. Pandey reported that the fraud was committed on January 15. He also added that the cyber cell has finished its first investigation and a case will be filed against some unknown cyber criminal soon. Inspector Pandey also cautioned people not to download APK files or suspicious links sent through WhatsApp or SMS, particularly those saying that they are from government schemes.
Important Alert to All PM Kisan Beneficiaries
This is a vital alert to all citizens and farmers. There is no need to install any third-party app for registration or updation in the PM Kisan Yojana. All the information is available only on the government PM Kisan website or original government portals.
Online theft, bank fraud and data breaches may be caused by downloading new applications or suspicious links. Maintain constant awareness and also double-check any prompt asking for your banking credentials, OTPs, or personal data is genuine.
Stay Safe, Keep Update
This horrific occurrence exposes how cybercriminals are targeting innocent people using well-known schemes such as PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Farmers must be careful, double-check all communication and never provide their banking details to any unknown source.
Stay informed with genuine news agencies and official websites for more PM Kisan Yojana and cyber fraud prevention tips.