22 Yr-Old Indian Creates Android App Which Sent Email From Any Account; Thousands Cheated By ‘Email Spoofer’

Everyday, we get to hear different incidents of online hacking or invasion of privacy. The truth is with the advancement of technology, hackers and their hacking techniques are getting more and more sophisticated.

We have constantly kept you updated about the changing trends in hacking today and how you can keep yourself safe amongst everything that’s going on. Today, we bring in a news that will send a chill down your spine, if you understand the severity of the misuse of the situation.

Email Spoofer and Everything you Need to Know

In another one of news in the cybercrime department, we have decided to share another such piece with you. The Cyber Cell of Delhi Police has arrested a 22-year-old youth, who created a mobile app that spoofed emails of banks, social media apps and telecom providers to cheat people of money. The app is still available on Google Play Store and is called ‘Email Spoofer’.

The accused had used names of well-known placement companies and matrimony sites to dupe the victims. The detail listed here is that the app has been downloaded more than a lakh times across the globe, mainly in India and the USA.

The app used the names of matrimony sites and recruitment firms to cheat victims. The fraud came to light when people complained about being cheated of money on the pretext of loans, dating and job offers they received in emails.

How Does the Application Work

The app allows people to send an email from anyone’s email address without any credentials, i.e. username or password. User can feed the target’s email ID and choose any ID of their choice to send mail. Cyber cell had received several complaints regarding people being cheated on the pretext of jobs, loans and dating offers via emails.

On tracking the emails, it was found out that all these companies had no information about such mails being sent out. A thorough check up found out that such mails were sent out via an app. The application was found to be registered in the name of “Ronli” and the owner was identified as Rupesh Bhandari, a native of Uttar Pradesh working in Bangalore.

Bhandari initially launched the application in January 2017 and ran it for a year. There were around 15,000 downloads, mostly from India, followed by the USA, Nigeria, Turkey and Bangladesh. Later, he developed the 2.0 version of the app in October 2019.

After scanning Bhandari’s laptop, the police found around 1.5 lakh emails. Some mails even show monetary transactions. The application could be misused for threatening activities, job applications, suspicious activities and impersonating people, said the police.