Pune: If the rampant occurrence of share-trade, digital arrest and online task frauds was not bad enough, cybercriminals are now exploiting the ongoing LPG supply concerns. These online fraudsters are creating fake booking websites, sending malicious links and circulating APK files to cheat worried consumers who are trying to acquire cylinders urgently, cyber investigation experts told TOI on Wednesday.City police are now receiving complaints from citizens who got messages claiming LPG payment was pending, KYCs were incomplete or Aadhaar linking was required to continue gas supply. In one recent case, a woman clicked on a link sent in such a message and her phone was compromised, after which multiple unauthorised payment requests were generated from her bank account and her WhatsApp account was hacked.A senior Pune cybercrime cell official, choosing anonymity, said several cyberfraud attempts linked to LPG payments have been reported in the city recently. “There have been seven cases in the last two weeks or so, where cyberfraud was attempted related to the LPG issue. In these cases, messages were sent saying the gas bill has to be paid, and links were shared for payment. The text usually says that the bill has to be paid immediately, otherwise the supply will be disconnected,” he said.He added that once users click on the link, either their phone is hacked or the payment is sent to a scamster’s account. The exact loss amounts are still being compiled, he said.Sandip Gadiya, a cybercrime investigation expert, said he has come across two cases recently that exploited the potential LPG scarcity. He said, “Fraudsters are creating lookalike websites of LPG companies and diverting users to them through search results, social media links and fake advertisements. They have created fake booking sites where they promise immediate cylinder delivery within 24-48 hours. The payment gateways look genuine, but the money gets diverted to fraudsters,” he said.In one case handled by Gadiya, a man searching online for a gas cylinder was redirected to a fake website resembling that of an oil company. He was asked to enter customer details and make a payment through UPI, after which the amount was deducted but the booking was fake.Yet another method involves Android Package Kit (APK) files sent through WhatsApp or social media groups. Gadiya elaborated, “People receive files labelled as ‘LPG booking’ or ‘gas cylinder app’. When they click on it, spyware gets installed on the phone and forwards OTP messages received by the victim to the fraudster. This allows them to access WhatsApp and even register their own device for UPI transactions,” Gadiya said.He added that fraudsters are also using search engine optimisation (SEO) to display fake contact numbers on top of Google search results and then posing as authorised LPG company representatives to collect payments.Digital forensic investigator Shweta Chawla told TOI that several people have been receiving fraudulent messages related to LPG booking and payments, though not all of them have fallen prey to the cons. “Many people have been getting messages asking them to download an app to book cylinders or to use a link to make payment. These messages come in the name of Bharat Gas, IOCL and other agencies,” she said.“People are getting messages falsely saying that a cylinder has been booked in their name and will be delivered, asking them to click a link or enter an OTP,” Chawla added.
