3 min readJun 7, 2026 09:42 PM IST
First published on: Jun 7, 2026 at 09:42 PM IST
A 30-year-old techie from Alandi fell prey to a remote access scam triggered by a fake traffic challan link. Instead of routing the stolen money through multiple accounts, the fraudsters swiftly spent Rs 4.76 lakh from his bank account within minutes to purchase four high-end phones.
An FIR in the case was registered at Alandi police station under Pimpri Chinchwad police on Saturday by the 30-year-old resident of Khed taluka who works for an IT company.
On June 5, the complainant received a message claiming a traffic violation challan had been generated in his name. After clicking the link in the message, an application was downloaded on his phone and believed to have given remote access to cyber fraudsters.
As the application was visible on his phone, the complainant continued with his work. However, a while later he started betting messages about his number being used to log into an Indian e-commerce platform. And minutes later, four high-end smartphones were purchased using money from his bank account.
“The cyber fraudsters, instead of routing money through mule accounts, used Rs 4.76 lakh from the victim’s account to purchase four phones in quick delivery mode. These transactions happened within minutes with online criminals using the remote access gained to the victim’s phone through the fraudulent application downloaded earlier. We have launched a probe into the address used by the fraudsters and other data points obtained in the investigation.” said an officer from Alandi police station.
Investigators said that such remote access scams are increasingly being engineered around everyday digital activities, making them highly convincing and difficult to detect in real time. Fraudsters often disguise malicious APK files as utility-related alerts such as pending traffic challans, electricity or gas bill updates, courier notifications, or KYC verification requests. Once installed, these apps quietly obtain screen control, SMS access, and banking credentials, allowing criminals to operate the device remotely while the victim continues using it, unaware that transactions are being authorised in the background.
The risk is amplified by the normalisation of app-based payments and instant approvals, which gives fraudsters a narrow but critical window to execute high-value transactions.
Unlike traditional scams routed through mule accounts, remote access fraud enables direct monetisation through e-commerce purchases, wallet transfers, or prepaid instruments in minutes. Cyber experts warn that users should avoid installing apps from unknown links and verify all government-related alerts only through official portals or apps to prevent such instant account takeovers.
The risk is amplified by the normalisation of app-based payments and instant approvals, which gives fraudsters a narrow but critical window to execute high-value transactions. (Image generated using AI) 
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