Port Blair: A sophisticated cyber fraud masquerading as an Air India customer support service has allegedly cost a seaman from Sri Vijaya Puram nearly ₹1.5 lakh, highlighting the growing threat posed by fraudsters using fake customer care identities to target unsuspecting citizens.
The Cyber Crime Police Station at Port Blair has registered an FIR against unidentified cyber criminals and initiated an investigation into the alleged online fraud, in which the victim lost ₹1,49,100 through unauthorized transactions from multiple bank accounts.
According to the FIR, the complainant, a resident of Prem Nagar, received a WhatsApp call on January 20, 2026, from an unknown mobile number. The caller allegedly identified himself as an Air India customer support executive and informed the victim that his application for a Maharaja Club Membership card had been approved.
To complete the process, the caller reportedly sent a WhatsApp link and instructed the complainant to download the application. On clicking the link, an APK file named “Air India” started downloading but failed to install. When the complainant informed the caller about the issue, he was allegedly told that another representative would contact him later.
However, later the same day, the complainant discovered that money had been fraudulently withdrawn from three of his bank accounts. As per the complaint, ₹97,500 was siphoned from his HDFC Bank account, ₹5,800 from his Canara Bank account and ₹45,800 from his State Bank of India account, resulting in a total loss of ₹1,49,100.
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The victim immediately reported the incident on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) on January 20, 2026, before approaching the Cyber Crime Police Station for legal action.
Acting on the complaint, the Cyber Crime Police Station registered FIR No. 0027/2026 on July 1, 2026, under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, against unknown accused persons. Police have launched an investigation to trace the perpetrators and recover the defrauded amount.
The incident serves as another reminder for the public to exercise extreme caution while responding to unsolicited calls, messages or links claiming to be from airlines, banks or other service providers. Cyber security experts advise citizens to avoid downloading APK files received through messaging platforms and to verify the authenticity of such communications through official channels before sharing any information or installing applications.
