Rs 1.2 lakh wiped off through fake streaming app

Rajkot: A man and his son-in-law from Bhavnagar lost a total of Rs 1.22 lakh after downloading a fake streaming app that promised free access to movies, web series and TV channels.

According to a complaint filed at the cyber crime police station, 57-year-old grocery store owner Paresh Kuvarani came across an Instagram advertisement on May 5, 2026, for a suspicious app. The app claimed to provide free streaming services. After downloading it and granting all requested permissions, he used it for a few days to watch movies and web series.

Later, during a conversation at home, Paresh shared the app with his son-in-law, Dhrumil Patel, through Bluetooth. Dhrumil also installed the app and allowed all permissions on his phone.

On May 9, Dhrumil discovered that his phone was compromised and Rs 70,000 had been withdrawn from his bank account. After hearing this, Paresh immediately deleted the app from his own device. However, the next day, hackers also accessed his phone and withdrew Rs 52,000 from his bank account.

Police have registered a case against unknown cyber fraudsters under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the IT Act.

The police advised people not to download suspicious apps and to think twice before granting all permissions to apps to access their mobiles.