Navi Mumbai Cyber Fraud Surge: APK Scams Cause ₹2.68 Crore Loss In 42 Cases Till July

Navi Mumbai: As many as 178 cyber fraud cases were registered in the Navi Mumbai Police Commissionerate area between January and July 19, 2026, resulting in losses of Rs 68.08 crore. APK files have emerged as one of the most prominent tools used by cybercriminals, with 42 cases involving such cases accounting for losses of Rs 2.68 crore. Fraudsters are increasingly using malicious APK files sent in the name of Mahanagar Gas, KYC updates, electricity bills and other essential services to gain access to mobile phones and siphon money from victims’ bank accounts.

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Mahanagar Gas APK Scams Become Major Concern

According to police data, cybercriminals have been adopting new methods to target citizens and carry out financial fraud. In the APK-based cases, victims are generally contacted through phone calls or messaging platforms and are asked to download an application to pay a bill, update a connection or complete a KYC process. Once the malicious file is installed, fraudsters can gain access to the device and use it to carry out unauthorised transactions.

Mahanagar Gas-related APK scams have emerged as a particular concern. Of the 42 APK-related cases, 26 involved fake APK files sent in the name of Mahanagar Gas, resulting in losses of Rs 1.54 crore. Another 16 cases involved APK files allegedly used to hack mobile phones, with citizens losing Rs 1.13 crore.

Panvel Resident Loses ₹5.97 Lakh After Downloading APK

In one such case in Panvel, a 34-year-old resident of Lokmanya Nagar received a Mahanagar Gas-related APK file on WhatsApp on May 16. Without verifying the authenticity of the file, the victim downloaded it, following which cybercriminals allegedly gained control of his mobile phone and withdrew Rs 5,97,017 from his bank account. A case has been registered at Panvel City Police Station.

In another case reported from Vashi, a 63-year-old resident of Sector 4 received a call from a fraudster claiming that his Mahanagar Gas bill was pending. The caller warned that his gas connection would be disconnected and persuaded him to download an APK file named “Mahanagar Gas Bill Update”. The fraudster subsequently used different credit cards to make payments and withdrew a total of Rs 5.97 lakh from the victim’s account. A case has been registered at Vashi Police Station.

Police Warn Citizens Against Unknown APK Files

Police officials have urged citizens to exercise extreme caution while dealing with links or files received from unknown numbers. They have particularly warned against downloading APK files received through WhatsApp, SMS or other messaging platforms, even when they appear to be linked to a familiar service provider or government agency.

Vishal Patil, Senior Police Inspector, Cyber Police Station, said, “Cybercriminals are using new technologies to defraud citizens. In particular, citizens should never download an APK file received from an unknown source, as a bank account can be emptied within seconds. People need to remain extremely cautious about suspicious links or APK files received in the name of Mahanagar Gas, MIDC or any government or private service.”

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Patil said citizens should also be alert to signs that their phones may have been compromised. “A phone suddenly becoming slow, the screen operating on its own or unfamiliar messages appearing on the device can be signs of hacking,” he said.

Police have advised citizens who fall victim to cyber fraud to report the incident immediately by calling the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or Navi Mumbai Police at 8828112112. Complaints can also be registered through the cybercrime portal.

Cyber fraud in numbers

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