The Mumbai Cyber Crime Branch has arrested six members of an interstate cyber fraud syndicate allegedly involved in hacking mobile phones through fake APK files and carrying out online financial fraud across the country. Investigators said an analysis of the gang's server data and complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) prima facie linked the network to 3,206 cyber fraud complaints involving losses of more than Rs 43.25 crore nationwide.

The arrests were made during an investigation into a case in which a Mumbai resident was allegedly cheated of Rs 2.35 lakh after being induced to install a fake mobile application masquerading as an official Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) service file. The malicious APK allegedly enabled the fraudsters to gain access to sensitive banking information stored on the victim's mobile phone.