Nallakunta woman loses Rs. 1.1 lakh in credit card fraud through fake DMart App

Hyderabad: A 66-year-old woman from Nallakunta, Hyderabad, became the latest victim of credit card fraud after falling for a deceptive advertisement in a step counter app. The ad, which appeared on June 1, 2025, promised discounts for DMart Ready groceries.

The victim, believing the advertisement to be legitimate, clicked on it and unknowingly downloaded a fake app designed to look like the official DMart grocery app. After entering her personal and Axis Bank credit card details, she placed an order for ₹298 worth of groceries.

However, soon after, she started receiving OTPs for unauthorized transactions. The fraudsters withdrew ₹44,838, ₹43,998, and ₹28,685 from her account.

The victim promptly contacted Axis Bank, which blocked her card and assured her that a shadow credit would be applied while an investigation was ongoing. Despite this, she received a credit card statement on June 19, 2025, showing that ₹1,17,521 had been debited. The amount was not reversed, and it became clear she had been defrauded through a fake app impersonating a trusted brand.

 Public Advisory:

Cybercrime authorities are urging users to exercise caution when clicking on ads within mobile apps, especially in health or utility-related apps. Fraudsters are increasingly using fake apps that mimic well-known brands like DMart to steal sensitive financial information.

To protect against such scams, users are advised to:

• Avoid entering credit/debit card details into unknown or newly installed apps.
• Be skeptical of advertisements in fitness, step counter, or non-retail apps promoting unrealistically large offers.
• Download apps only from verified sources like the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, and always check app developer details and reviews.

In case of a cybercrime incident, victims should immediately contact 1930 or visit cybercrime.gov.in. For urgent matters, call 8712665171.