Noida, 29 January: Under the direction of Commissioner Laxmi Singh, Gautam Buddh Nagar Police are intensifying their crackdown on cybercrime in the district. In this effort, the police are conducting a thorough investigation into a serious Cyber Fraud case linked to e-challans.
Preliminary findings have identified a suspicious role played by an earning app named “Vingo,” which appears to operate on a “Telecom as a Service” model. The police investigation reveals that the Vingo App lures common citizens by promising easy and quick earnings without much effort.
Initially, users are given small tasks such as sending SMS or message-related activities to build trust, and in return, they receive prompt payments, making the app seem legitimate. However, the app is not available on the Google Play Store and, once installed, automatically sends approximately 80 to 100 SMS messages daily. These messages have been linked to various online frauds.
According to officials, although these so-called message tasks appear harmless, they are actually used to distribute scam messages to potential victims. Many of these messages promote cyber theft, fake links, and other illegal activities. Alarmingly, most users remain unaware that their mobile numbers and digital identities are being exploited by a large cybercrime network.
The police have also learned that Telegram channels claim the Vingo app has over one lakh users. Cybercriminals use such apps to target innocent, unemployed, and economically vulnerable individuals.
Attracted by the lure of initial earnings, users unknowingly become part of a scam chain, putting themselves at risk and indirectly aiding in defrauding others.
Gautam Buddh Nagar Police have urged the public to avoid apps or platforms promising easy income through SMS tasks, message forwarding, referral schemes, or deposit demands. They have explicitly advised against installing the Vingo app, describing it as a “Telecom as a Service” app involved in fraudulent activities.
Citizens are requested to report any suspicious apps, unsolicited earning offers, or cyber fraud activities immediately through the Indian Government’s I4C National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal’s “Suspect Reporting” feature or at their nearest police station to ensure timely action.
– PKT/ASH