A surge in cyber fraud cases has revealed how residents of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are increasingly being targeted through everyday digital platforms. With unsolicited calls, WhatsApp forwards, and online advertisements acting as entry points, fraudsters are exploiting trust in official-looking apps and links to siphon off money in minutes, leaving victims helpless.
In Junglighat, Sri Vijayapuram, businessman Vikash Kumar Agrawal lost over ₹1.32 lakh after he received a WhatsApp message carrying an APK file titled “RTO E-Challan update.apk.” Believing it to be an official traffic challan update, he entered his details before realizing something was wrong. Within hours, three unauthorized withdrawals drained his account. Agrawal lodged a grievance on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and approached the Cyber Crime Police Station with evidence, requesting an FIR.
In another incident, Shahul Hameed from Wimberlygunj was duped while trying to cancel a flight ticket. Lured by a YouTube advertisement, he downloaded a fraudulent app and shared his details, leading to unauthorized UPI withdrawals of ₹70,000. A third case from Sri Vijayapuram involved a gold mining investment scheme run through WhatsApp and a fake trading platform. The victim, shown small initial profits, was tricked into transferring nearly ₹10 lakh. While police managed to freeze one mule account and recover ₹48,600, the majority of the money had already vanished into mainland networks operated under the alias “Dhanya Ravindran.”
According to the Cyber Crime Police, more than 120 cyber fraud complaints have been registered in the islands in 2025 alone, marking a sharp spike in cases involving WhatsApp links, malicious APK files, and bogus investment platforms. Officials told The Wave Andaman that the islands have become a “soft target” for cyber gangs since many residents are still adjusting to rapid digitization and are more likely to trust seemingly official messages.
These scams signal a dangerous evolution in cybercrime. Instead of random phishing emails, fraudsters now blend credible narratives with daily-use platforms, WhatsApp messages resembling government updates, YouTube ads posing as customer support, or trading dashboards mimicking genuine services. Once victims engage, sensitive information is extracted or large transfers are coerced, with funds swiftly dispersed into mule accounts across states.
Authorities are urging islanders to exercise caution by verifying unknown numbers, avoiding third-party app downloads, and immediately reporting suspicious links and calls on the National Cybercrime Portal or at local police stations. With reliance on digital transactions rising but awareness still limited, cybercrime is emerging as a systemic challenge for the islands. Until awareness efforts and policing mechanisms keep pace, residents remain the first line of defense. A single click, as recent cases show, can cost not just money but also trust in the digital systems that islanders are only beginning to embrace.
