Bhoiwada Police have registered 14 separate cyber fraud offences in a single day, exposing the growing menace of online scams targeting people from all walks of life

Mumbai: Bhoiwada Police registered 14 separate cyber fraud offences in a single day, exposing the growing menace of online scams that targeted people from all walks of life, including housewives, doctors, nurses, govt employees, businessmen and private sector professionals. The fraudsters used different modus operandi, ranging from fake customer care numbers and APK files to bogus KYC updates, fake service providers and impersonation scams.In one case, a woman searching online for Blinkit customer care after not receiving her parcel allegedly contacted a fake helpline. The fraudsters claimed there was a mismatch in her delivery address and later sent her an APK file through WhatsApp. After installing it, ₹1 lakh was fraudulently transferred from her Bank of India and Union Bank accounts without her consent.A 27-year-old homemaker lost ₹95,000 while attempting to sell old furniture online. The accused, identified as Anil Jaiswal, allegedly tricked her into sharing banking details under the pretext of making payment In another case a nurse employed at KEM Hospital was cheated of ₹95,000 after receiving a message asking her to reply “OK” to update her Pay login credentials.A cloth merchant lost ₹93,000 after clicking a fraudulent advertisement on Google while searching for a service. He later received SMS alerts indicating unauthorized debits from his bank account . In another case an employee of Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation was duped of ₹2 lakh by cyber fraudsters, while another Haffkine employee reported that ₹1.98 lakh was withdrawn from his account after receiving suspicious messages, despite not authorising any transaction.A 43-year-old doctor attached to a private hospital in Colaba lost ₹4.95 lakh after opening a malicious APK file sent by fraudsters .A stenographer working at the City Civil Court was cheated of ₹2.84 lakh after opening a message purportedly sent by Mahanagar Gas.An accountant with Bharat Petroleum lost ₹1.12 lakh after searching online for an AC mechanic. The fraudster posed as a service provider and convinced him to complete a fake KYC update. In another case, a woman lost ₹60,000 after a fraudster impersonating a Mahanagar Gas representative sent her a malicious link.Another woman searching Google for the contact number of a cardiologist was contacted by a fraudster posing as the doctor’s assistant. She was sent an APK file and asked to pay ₹10 to register for an appointment. After installing the file, she lost ₹68,000.Cyber Police said the cases highlight the increasing use of fake customer care numbers, malicious APK files, fraudulent Google advertisements and impersonation tactics to steal banking credentials and gain remote access to victims’ mobile phones.Police have advised citizens to avoid downloading APK files received through messaging apps, verify customer care numbers only through official websites, and never share banking or OTP details with unknown callers.Mumbai Police have urged citizens to remain cautious while searching for customer care numbers or service providers online. Avoid downloading APK files or clicking links sent by unknown callers or through WhatsApp/SMS, as these can give fraudsters remote access to your phone and banking apps. Always verify customer care numbers through the official website or app of the company concerned. Never share OTPs, PINs, passwords or banking credentials with anyone. If you suspect a cyber fraud, immediately call the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and report the incident on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at www.cybercrime.gov.in to improve the chances of recovering the lost money.

Residents, architects, and urban planners have long demanded special development control regulations and a policy for gaothans

Mumbai: Charles Correa once said, “People don’t come to cities for housing, they come for jobs.” People come to Bandra’s gaothans to escape the city — and for its houses. Here, they make themselves at home in postcard cottages, settling on century-old verandahs to watch village life unspool. It’s a life few can own, but many can briefly have for the price of a coffee and a complimentary madeleine.That’s what the cafes, bookshops, B&Bs and concept stores in Bandra’s gaothans are serving up. In a city caught in the chokehold of concrete, the rustic charm of a rosewood cottage down a flagstone alley flanked by hibiscus in full bloom is a breath of fresh air.Book Bar, far from the madding crowds, has started drawing a crowd of its own. Housed in a low-rise building in the heart of Pali Village, this semi-basement cafe is plastered in paperbacks. “We looked across Bandra, Khar, Versova — until we chanced on this,” says co-founder Avneesh Gadgil. One of four Book Bar cafes — the others are in Pune — it opened in May, removed from the chaos of Ambedkar Road and 16th Road on either side. Gadgil likens the contrast to a cassette: “Everyone experiences Side A of the city, the noise and mayhem; but Bombay also has a Side B — places for pause.”On the adjacent street, Neil Pereira is less charmed. “Pali Village is categorised as a residential zone. How can commercial establishments be allowed here?” demands the longtime resident — though Book Bar, it should be noted, stepped into a former AC repair shop and simply inherited its commercial licence. The concern runs deeper than zoning. “There’s a risk of fire from circuit overload, owing to the high demand for electricity for lighting, cooking and cooling,” says Pereira, founder of the Pali Gaothan East Indian Association. Fire safety norms for commercial establishments in gaothans already forbid flame-cooking, but the risk of electrical overload in these densely wired old buildings is real.Fire is only one worry. S Gonsalves, another Pali Village resident, flags water. “The increased demand from restaurants, offices and studios has affected domestic supply. Their illegal high-horsepower pumps draw water before our tanks can fill up.” Sewage is another pressure point: “The gaothan’s drains were not built for the extra footfall,” says Pereira. “Sewage lines have overflowed in some places.” Heat envelopes from multiple AC units, strangers in the lanes for selfies, security concerns — the list is long.Shormishtha Mukherjee, author of Pudding: The Memory Keepers of Bandra, recalls residents telling her they’ve taken to closing their doors and windows, when once these were gateways to niceties and news. “The changing character of the gaothans has intensified in the last 3-4 years, and it’s visible on its walls. Chapel Road, which once had graffiti, now has ad graffiti.”The question, she asks, is — what are commercial spaces doing for the community? Do they become part of it? Do they ask their customers to be mindful of the neighbourhood?Some do. Chuim 66, a micro-restaurant dishing out pot pies and craft coffee, has signage reminding customers they’re in a residential neighbourhood. “We refitted our chimney when a neighbour complained of the exhaust,” says co-founder Vidit Aren. “We ran the ducting through the centre of the building instead of the exterior to reduce noise. We hope to be here for years and want to coexist with the community.” Book Bar halted interior work for an hour each afternoon to accommodate a neighbour’s nap. “We request customers not to smoke outside and keep the music low,” says Gadgil. “We even hosted an inauguration party for the villagers.”Commerce and community can be combative bedfellows initially, but they can learn to make peace. The sooner the better, because incoming traffic in the gaothans is only going to intensify, warns Shaan Shaikh, a real estate broker. “Enquiries for gaothans have multiplied in the last 3-4 years. I currently have 10 clients looking for cafe space, mostly in Chapel Road and Pali Village. A 250 sq ft cafe rental can cost Rs 1.5-2 lakh at either place,” Shaikh says. “The asking price for a 2,460 sqft, ground+2 bungalow off Carter Road is Rs 5 lakh.” But even at those rates, gaothan cafes are paying nearly 30% less than high-street rents. For homeowners — particularly elderly couples with limited income — the offers are a windfall and a saving grace.Gaothans receive no renovation or maintenance funds from govt. “I spend Rs 3-4 lakh on maintenance every couple of years,” says Clarence Gomes, 75, founder-editor of Bandra Times. “Our 150-year-old house on Bazar Road needs a new balcony, but we’ve been quoted Rs 5-6 lakh just to replace the Burma teak one.”“The question is how to negotiate change while preserving the integrity of the gaothan,” says conservation architect David Cardoz. “Anything that keeps the place going at the same scale without gutting it is fine — unlike redevelopment, which does exactly that.”Residents, architects, and urban planners have long demanded special development control regulations and a policy for gaothans. “In their absence, it’s the community that has conserved them,” says Pankaj Joshi, principal director, Urban Centre Mumbai. He believes communities should link arms with their new commercial neighbours and with civic officials to resolve tensions — and points to European cities developing soft bylaws for residential heritage precincts: noise restrictions at certain hours, rules on lighting and congregation. Mumbai has no such framework yet.“We wanted to establish a low-key neighbourhood space that was accessible,” says Aren, “and the gaothans were the only area that made financial sense. Anywhere else in Bandra and it would have been a heavier ship to run.”

Mumbaikars cite confusion over documents

Mumbai: Mumbai’s special intensive revision (SIR) 2026 voter verification drive is producing sharply different experiences across the city as the submission deadline nears, with residents, political representatives and booth-level officers (BLOs) describing an uneven rollout that ranges from smooth doorstep verification to confusion, anxiety and repeated follow-ups.Across several neighbourhoods, residents reported that the process depends heavily on local execution. Some areas saw quick, orderly visits by officials and clear communication, while others described unclear instructions, uncertainty over acceptable documents and difficulty in contacting BLOs. Many citizens said comparatively better-off localities appeared to face fewer disruptions, while dense neighbourhoods with frequent residential movement reported heightened stress and what locals termed a growing “fear psychosis” around possible deletion from the electoral rolls due to paperwork gaps, spelling mismatches or address changes.Political representatives echoed the concern that shifting interpretations of documentation rules are adding to public anxiety. Nadeem Nusrath, vice-president of Mumbai Congress, pointed to confusion around the status of documents, saying a recent controversy over a passport not being treated as proof of citizenship has intensified fear, confusion and stress across class lines.Residents also alleged gaps in geographic coverage. In Bandra West, some said SIR verification was not being conducted at certain Slum Rehabilitation Authority project sites to which beneficiaries have been shifted, including Lalmatti, Shastri Nagar, Maharashtra Nagar and Slaughter House Compound. According to residents, BLOs cited instructions not to conduct verification at these sites for now. For families who have moved into these locations, the reported pause has created uncertainty about where verification will occur and how their records will be updated to reflect their current addresses.In the Kurla assembly constituency, residents described particular difficulties for voters whose names remain linked to older addresses after relocation. Some complained that BLOs were not answering calls or returning them even after callback requests were logged through the EC app. One voter questioned why contact numbers are shared if they remain unreachable, adding that even after visiting the election office, the guidance received was simply to keep trying because the BLO does not answer. The voter said their name was already in the electoral form (EF), yet completing the formalities still required repeated effort, calling it unnecessary inconvenience for genuine voters.Other localities reported technical and procedural hurdles in linking current electoral entries to older rolls, especially where residents have moved across wards, cities or states. At Dheeraj Upvan Society in Borivli East, a large residential complex built around 2000 with many migrants from other parts of Mumbai and outside Maharashtra, residents said the most difficult step was matching current details with the 2002 list through the app. Even so, some residents described strong participation and a willingness to comply despite the paperwork burden. One resident said the effort was creating chaos around arranging documents but argued it would improve security and help eliminate bogus voters.In Kanjurmarg, resident Tasneem B described a prolonged and shifting verification process that left her uncertain about her status. She said she was initially visited during pre-SIR mapping. When officials could not locate her parents—based in Nagpur—on the 2002 list, she downloaded the ward list and searched manually. She said her father’s name contained multiple errors, making it hard to trace, a problem she said is common on voter lists. Although she was initially told mapping was successful, she later received a message from the BLO that she had been flagged as an anomaly due to a “different parent” and was advised to present her father’s documents and her passport to resolve it. After she complied, she said the BLO again informed her that even with documentary proof, BLOs lack the authority to complete verification in such cases and that she would likely need to attend an SIR hearing after receiving a notice. She criticised the dependence on an AI-driven system that can flag anomalies without an easy correction path and said the experience felt especially harsh for voters acting in good faith. She added that the episode revived fears, based on past experiences elsewhere, that minorities may face stricter scrutiny and higher compliance burdens.BLOs, for their part, are described as being under visible pressure as volume increases. At a housing society in Mira Road, residents gathered around a BLO as people sought help identifying their booths and submitting forms. Residents recounted that the BLO appeared overworked and responded sharply to repeated questions, underscoring how crowding and last-minute demands are testing capacity on the ground.In Mira Road and other areas with sizable Muslim populations, residents and local representatives said misinformation, difficulty locating names on older SIR lists, and spelling discrepancies between documents and earlier records are complicating compliance. A long-time voter, Sani Aslam, said he had tried calling for days without response and later realised he had contacted the wrong BLO, illustrating how confusion over BLO jurisdiction can add to delays.Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh said volunteers were being deployed in Madanpura, Govandi and Bhiwandi to help residents fill forms and locate BLO information. He said many fear that spelling mismatches could lead to deletions from draft lists. Govandi resident advocate Faiyyaz Alam Shaikh described the situation in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar assembly constituency as “alarming”, citing density, socio-economic vulnerability and many voters being given the “anomaly” status. He called office-based verification impractical and inaccessible for many genuine electors.Some residents reported smooth experiences. In Vashi’s Sector 9A, Kedarnath Rao Ghorpade said four officers from Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation arrived prepared, conducted verification transparently and followed a structured process, although he noted that documentation was a challenge for some. In Nana Chowk, Chandana Shetye described a positive interaction, saying the BLO waited for her to return from work and accepted alternative details when she opted not to provide her Aadhaar number.

The case was registered at the Central Cyber police station on July 17 after police learnt that fraudsters gained unauthorised access to the firm’s authorised Omnifin (Loan Management System – LMS) software and third-party API system, and that fraudulent transactions were auto-generated without any company approval or one time password (OTP) and transferred to various unknown bank accounts.

Mumbai: Scammers gained illegal access to the software of a Parel-based gold loan firm and, through the app, instructed a private bank to clear 18 suspicious and unauthorised transactions totalling Rs 78.1 lakh from the company’s current account within an hour on July 13, police said.The case was registered at the Central Cyber police station on July 17 after police learnt that fraudsters gained unauthorised access to the firm’s authorised Omnifin (Loan Management System – LMS) software and third-party API system, and that fraudulent transactions were auto-generated without any company approval or one-time password (OTP) and transferred to various unknown bank accounts.While tracking the money trail, cyber police found that scammers transferred the funds to a finance company and to nationalised and private banks in Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra and other states between 10.49 am and 12.18 am on July 13. “The team has sought details from the banks about the account holder to which the money has been credited. Meanwhile, the nodal officers of these banks have instructed to freeze the account. The team is gathering details as the 18 transactions was done in the range between Rs2 lakhs and Rs7 lakhs each. Probe is on to find out any internal bank or company’s staffs involvement in the fraud,” said a police officer of the Central cyber police station.During the probe, it was observed that an unknown accused tampered with the original bank details and system of the gold loan company and gained unauthorised access to its authorised Omnifin (Loan Management System – LMS) software and third-party API system.In the complaint, the company’s director GM Amit said: “Our company’s current account is our corporate account, and all financial transactions of the company are conducted through this account. As per our business process, after receiving the necessary documents and application form from the borrower, the relevant loan amount is disbursed to the borrower’s account after verification as per company rules. To streamline the loan disbursement process, our company uses a ‘Loan Management System’ (LMS) software named ‘Omnifin’. This is our internal software, and it contains complete information about all transactions, vendors, and third parties.”Police said the software was integrated with the private bank’s system through an authorised third-party API service provider, Paysprint Private Limited Company. “Due to this secure API integration, payment instructions are directly transferred to the bank. According to this system, when a request for loan disbursement comes from a borrower or a third party, the loan process is completed by the software. After the process is complete, an automatic notification is sent to the Bank via the authorized API to transfer the amount. Since this entire system is completely API-based, no manual OTP or separate approval is required. Information about money being debited from the account is automatically generated once the transaction is complete,” said the cyber police.The firm noticed discrepancies in its bank account on July 14 and found unauthorised transactions. “The transactions were not related to any approved loan account or valid as per our company’s daily routine, all transactions from the previous day are reconciled on the next day. Accordingly, on July 14, when we were verifying and reconciling the transactions, we noticed that the above entries did not match. Upon thorough investigation, it became clear that all these transactions were not related to any approved loan cases or customer requests, but were completely unauthorized and illegal,” the firm’s director said in the FIR.The company then filed a complaint on the 1930 Cyber Helpline on July 16 and lodged the FIR with the Central Cyber police against unknown cyber criminals for gaining unauthorised access to the company’s accounts by tampering with the system. The complaint was filed against the unknown cyber criminals, bank account holders and their accomplices.