Mumbai, June 9: Ever booked a cleaning service through Urban Company? A resident of Mumbai thought she was doing just that, but fell victim to a clever scam instead. Searching online for office cleaning, she came across a fake app called “Urban Club” that mimicked the popular service. After downloading the app and making a small INR 9 UPI payment, fraudsters gained remote access to her phone. This led to unauthorised withdrawals totalling INR 99,000 from her bank account.

As per the Free Press Journal report, the woman, a diabetes educator residing in Andheri West, was lured into the scam after a man posing as a representative of the fake service contacted her. He instructed her to download the app and make two payments of INR 600 and INR 9, respectively, to confirm her cleaning service booking. She proceeded with the payments, unaware that the app contained malware. Online Scam in Navi Mumbai: Woman Loses INR 49 Lakh After Being Lured With ‘Gift’ From Abroad.

The INR 9 transaction served as a gateway for the fraudsters to gain full access to her device. The next day, while visiting her bank for an unrelated matter, she was shocked to learn that INR 99,000 had been siphoned off from her account. Realising she had been scammed, she immediately approached the Oshiwara Police Station and lodged a complaint. Police have registered a case against an unknown accused under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. New Social Media Scams in Mumbai: Minor Girl Blackmailed With Explicit Photos via Fake Snapchat Profile in Kanjurmarg; College Student Defrauded of INR 2.74 Lakh in Instagram Adult Content Scam, Case Registered.

Investigations are currently underway to trace the culprit and uncover the full scope of the scam. Authorities suspect that the fake app contained remote access software, enabling the scammers to monitor her device, view one-time passwords, and steal banking credentials. Mumbai Police have since warned citizens to be vigilant and avoid downloading apps from unofficial sources.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 09, 2025 04:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).