Hyderabad firm loses Rs 1 crore in WhatsApp impersonation fraud

A Hyderabad-based private firm allegedly lost Rs 1 crore in a WhatsApp impersonation scam after an employee transferred the money to fraudsters posing as the company owner. Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police have registered a case and launched an investigation.

Hyderabad: An alleged WhatsApp impersonation fraud has cost a private firm from the city, a whopping Rs 1 crore after an employee reportedly transferred the amount to fraudsters believing the instruction came from the company owner.

According to information available, Dilip Kumar, a resident of Nizampet, runs Maisamma Retail Private Limited. On Tuesday, one of the firm’s employees received a WhatsApp message from an unknown person claiming to be acting on the instructions of the company owner. The message stated that Rs 1 crore had to be transferred urgently to clear a payment and included bank account details.

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Believing the request to be genuine, the employee transferred Rs 1 crore to the specified account. After completing the transaction, the employee tried to contact the sender but received no response. The matter was then brought to the notice of the company owner, who confirmed that no such instruction had been issued.

Realising they had fallen victim to cyber fraud, the company representatives lodged a complaint with the Cyberabad Cybercrime police, who booked a case and are investigating.