Fake Facebook D-Mart Ad Costs Habsiguda Senior ₹1.09 Lakh
HYDERABAD: A 75-year-old resident of Habsiguda lost ₹1,09,610 after installing a malicious APK file sent by cyber fraudsters posing as representatives of D-Mart.
Police said the victim had seen a Facebook advertisement offering groceries worth ₹298. After he entered his contact details, he received a call around 4.30pm on November 24, 2025 from an unknown number. The caller told him that his order was confirmed and sent him an APK file through WhatsApp for payment.
When the victim installed the file and entered his State Bank of India credit card details to pay ₹298, his phone became unresponsive and multiple one-time passwords appeared on the screen. Sensing trouble, he alerted his son, who helped him block his cards.
Later, the victim learnt from State Bank of India and Axis Bank that three unauthorised credit card transactions totalling ₹1,09,610 had been carried out by the fraudsters.
Public advisory issued
Cybercrime police said scammers are circulating fake D-Mart offer links on Facebook to lure people with unrealistic discounts. Users are asked to enter personal details and are later sent APK files disguised as order confirmation or payment applications.
Officials said installing such files allows fraudsters to take control of a victim’s device and extract sensitive financial information to carry out unauthorised banking or credit card transactions.
People have been advised not to click suspicious links or accept extremely low-price offers circulated on social media platforms. Police urged the public not to install APK files sent by unknown numbers and to verify offers only through official websites or apps of recognised companies such as D-Mart.
Authorities also warned against sharing card details, OTPs or passwords over phone or messaging platforms.
Victims of cyber fraud have been advised to immediately block their cards, inform their banks and report incidents to the Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or cybercrime.gov.in. In emergencies, people may contact 8712665171.
The Cybercrime unit asked the public to follow its official social media channels for awareness updates.
