{
  "id": 15747413,
  "title": "Maharashtra Cyber Fraud: Nagpur Accountant Duped Of ₹1.30 Crore By Scammers Impersonating Company Owner On WhatsApp",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/maharashtra-cyber-fraud-nagpur-accountant-duped-of-1-30-crore-by",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T13:15:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/maharashtra-cyber-fraud-nagpur-accountant-duped-of-130-crore-by-scammers-impersonating-company-owner-on-whatsapp"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A 43-year-old Nagpur accountant lost Rs 1.30 crore in a sophisticated WhatsApp-based cyber fraud orchestrated by scammers who impersonated his company's owner. The victim, who has been working for a private company for 22 years, received urgent messages on October 16, 2026, that appeared to come from his employer. Initially, the scammers asked about the company's bank balances, which the victim complied with and shared a screenshot of. Shortly after, the scammers instructed the victim to transfer Rs 1.30 crore to a specified bank account. The victim, trusting the impersonator's identity, initiated the transfer via Real-Time Gross Settlement. The deception was revealed when the victim received a call from his actual employer questioning the unauthorized transaction. The employer confirmed he had never requested such a transfer, and the victim realized he had been scammed. The scammers used a fraudulent WhatsApp account that matched the company owner's profile, but the registered mobile number was different and unaffiliated with the business. The victim is now cooperating with the Cyber Police in investigating the Dahisar-based bank account used in the fraud.",
  "summary": "Mumbai: In a sophisticated cyber fraud case, a 43-year-old accountant was duped out of Rs 1.30 crore after scammers hacked or spoofed the WhatsApp account of his company’s owner. The victim, a resident of Nagpur, has filed a police complaint detailing the systematic financial exploitation. Investigation revealed that the beneficiary account used by the scammers to park the illgotten money was of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Press Journal",
        "title": "Mumbai Cyber Fraud: 78-Year-Old Bandra Woman Duped Of ₹5.85 Crore In Fake HDFC Insurance Policy Scam",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/mumbai-cyber-fraud-78-year-old-bandra-woman-duped-of-5-85-crore-in",
        "published": "2026-10-20T14:50:21.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}