Police bust fraud syndicate using APK files

KUALA LUMPUR: The police successfully busted a fraud syndicate that used application files (APK) following the arrest of two local men in raids in Penang and Johor last Wednesday.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the two individuals involved were aged 27 and 48, and his party seized three mobile phones, passports, identification cards and watches with an estimated value of RM6,000.

He said the investigation found that the two men were suspected members of the “Trojan Spymax” syndicate who were directly involved with fraud syndicates in the Asian region, particularly in Singapore, by acting as sellers of malware (malicious software) and managers of server rentals (servers) that host APK files.

“As a result of the investigation, this syndicate offers the sale of products and services through social media (Facebook, Instagram, and the like), and victims who are interested in buying the product will be given a link to the apk file (android package kit) that needs to be installed on their phone as part of the purchase process.

“The APK file given is malicious software, and it can hack the victim’s phone and then give access to the fraud syndicate to read the one-time password (OTP) on the short message system, screen mirror, contact list, and remote access to the victim’s device,” he said. in tonight’s statement.

He said all arrests and seizures have been handed over to Interpol to be extradited to Singapore for prosecution purposes.

Ramli said the operation involved was the result of a year-long collaboration with the Singapore police in identifying, collecting, and verifying the identities of syndicate members hiding behind technology, thereby successfully disabling the infrastructure and workings of the APK malware syndicate in the region.

“People are asked to be careful when downloading and installing any software on their devices.

“Any download of application files to smartphones should be done through secure platforms such as Google Play and the App Store only,” he said.