Cyber Fraud In Navi Mumbai: Logistics Firm Loses ₹62 Lakh After Fraudsters Impersonate UK-Based Owner On WhatsApp
Navi Mumbai: A cyber gang allegedly duped a logistics company in CBD Belapur of Rs 62 lakh after posing as its UK-based owner and using his photograph as a WhatsApp profile picture. The fraudsters contacted the company's accountant through WhatsApp and convinced her to transfer money from the company's bank account to two IndusInd Bank accounts. Cyber Police Register Case The Navi Mumbai Cyber…
A logistics firm based in Navi Mumbai suffered a loss of Rs 62 lakh due to a fraudulent scheme orchestrated by cybercriminals impersonating the company's UK-based owner via WhatsApp. The incident unfolded when the fraudsters sent a message to the company's accountant, displaying the owner's photograph alongside a purported request for financial information.
The fraudsters then followed up by instructing the accountant to transfer a sum of Rs 95 lakh to two different IndusInd Bank accounts, claiming it was for the company's salary payments. The accountant, trusting the messages to be legitimate, proceeded to make the first transfer of Rs 30 lakh in two instalments, sharing the transaction receipts through WhatsApp to confirm the transfers.
On August 31, the same WhatsApp number made contact again, demanding an additional Rs 32 lakh to another IndusInd Bank account. The accountant, convinced by the fraudster's instructions, complied with the second transfer. Upon realizing that the company's funds had been unlawfully disbursed, the accountant reached out to the company's genuine owner using his original WhatsApp number.
The owner was shocked to learn that he had not authorized any transfers and immediately informed the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) about the incident. Upon scrutiny, the investigators found that the accounts into which the funds were transferred were not linked to any of the company's vendors or suppliers. This led them to conclude that the company had indeed been defrauded.
The Navi Mumbai Cyber Police are now actively investigating the matter, tracing the mobile numbers, bank accounts, and digital transaction patterns associated with the fraud.
Written by urgent.news from Free Press Journal's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
