Cases of fraud involving personal data and the loss of savings in bank accounts are becoming increasingly concerning.
Moreover, with the advancing technology of the present time, scammers employing various tactics make it difficult for individuals to ascertain the legitimacy of such situations.
As a result, many people fall victim to these scams, leading to significant financial losses, with some losing hundreds of thousands of ringgit.
Recently, a post went viral on X (formerly Twitter) where a user, @najihahshahrel, exposed a conversation of someone who was nearly a victim of fraud. According to her, an unidentified individual posing as a courier from a courier company had sent several messages through the WhatsApp.
The individual then inquired whether the potential victim was at home or not at that moment because they wanted to deliver a ‘parcel.’ Immediately after asking about the type of parcel to be received, the courier provided an Android Package Kit (APK), which is a file format for Android device applications.
Najihah also shared a screenshot displaying the document attempting to gain access to users’ devices. Among the accessible data, the scammer could read all the contents displayed on the users’ device screens and track any interactions with other applications.
“It’s frightening that scams nowadays can even control phones. For the 100th time, I want to emphasise, please don’t download suspicious APK files. Sometimes people send messages pretending to be couriers or wedding invitations. After that, they ask you to download who knows what file,” she stated.
Netizens’ reaction to scam tactics through APK files
Glancing at the comments section, there were netizens who mentioned that such tactics had occurred numerous times, yet the public still lacks awareness about avoiding the download of such files.
“Many fall victim to this. Even Android phones provide warnings before installation. However, people still proceed to install. Don’t know how else to educate them,” said one man.
Furthermore, an Indonesian netizen shared that similar scam tactics have been used by irresponsible individuals targeting the citizens of their neighboring country.
“Scams like that are also well-known here in Indonesia. On 1 January, my friend was deceived, and the savings in his bank account were nearly wiped out,” stated a netizen.
Meanwhile, a woman advised the public not to entertain calls from suspicious numbers as they might be enchanted.
“If you notice a scammer calling you, don’t answer because there’s a high chance of being tricked through the call. It happened to my neighbour. She answered the call (scam) and then immediately sent pictures of her jewellery to the scammer,” explained a woman.
How to avoid getting scammed
According to the National Security Council (Majlis Keselamatan Negara or MKN), downloading unauthorised APK files can pose risks to your device.
Among its adverse effects, scammers can gain access to victims’ banking information, access SMS on mobile phones, and obtain OTP or TAC numbers sent to the device.
To prevent yourself from falling victim to such fraudulent activities, here are some tips that can be practiced. These include:
- Avoid Clicking on Suspicious Links
- Refrain from Sharing Personal Information
- Avoid Sharing TAC or OTP Numbers with Others
- Install True Caller App to Identify Scammer Numbers
