From fake bosses to digital arrests, cyber crooks strike for ₹5.3 crore in Hyderabad | Hyderabad News

Public should remain alert and avoid clicking on links in messages received from unknown numbers. Such links can install malware and give fraudsters remote access to handsets.

‘Boss fraud’ costs city supermarket ₹2.7 croreHyderabad: Fraudsters impersonating the CEO of a city-based supermarket on WhatsApp duped the company’s accountant into transferring Rs 2.7 crore to bank accounts they provided over eight days in October. A representative of the company lodged a complaint on Monday, following which a cheating case was registered.The complainant, a partner in the supermarket, said the fraudsters initially sent the accountant a ZIP file on WhatsApp from the number of a company employee. The accountant opened the file on his phone and computer, ignoring a security alert that flagged it as malicious. The computer subsequently froze, and the company’s IT team restored its functionality.The accountant later found that his earlier WhatsApp chat with the CEO had disappeared and a new contact bearing the CEO’s name, but linked to a different number, had appeared in its place, the complainant said.Believing the messages were genuine instructions from the CEO, the accountant transferred Rs 2.7 crore from the company’s bank account between Oct 1 and 8. The fraudsters also sought details of the balances in the company’s various bank accounts and asked him to prematurely close a fixed deposit.The fraud came to light on Oct 9, when the accused sought another transfer of Rs 50 lakh. The CEO was physically present at the office at the time and denied issuing any such instruction when the accountant checked with him, a cybercrime official said.After verifying the transactions with the bank, the complainant approached the police, seeking an investigation into how the fraud was executed and steps to recover the money.A case was registered under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), pertaining to cheating and cheating by personation.72-year-old woman loses ₹2 crore in digital arrest scamA retired employee from Nampally lost ₹2.12 crore to fraudsters posing as crime branch and enforcement directorate officials in a digital arrest scam.The 72-year-old woman filed her complaint on Oct 12, stating that the ordeal began on Sept 5, when a caller claiming to be from the telecommunications department said her mobile number had been misused.“I was then contacted on a video call by a person claiming to be Karan Sharma, a crime branch officer. He accused me of involvement in a money laundering case. I pleaded innocence but he threatened to arrest me and asked me not to inform anyone,” the complainant alleged.She subsequently received forged documents on WhatsApp, purportedly issued in the names of CBI, ED, Interpol and Supreme Court, informing her that she was implicated in a money-laundering case. Another fraudster, posing as George Mathews, asked her to transfer money for govt verification and claimed that the money would be refunded within three days.Under pressure, the woman transferred ₹2.12 crore in 10 transactions to different bank accounts between Sept 7 and 30. The fraudsters also tried to persuade her to sell her gold ornaments, a cybercrime official said.When the accused stopped answering her calls and failed to refund the money, she searched online and realised she had been cheated, the official added. A case was registered on Monday under sections 66C and 66D of the IT Act and relevant provisions of the BNS.Retired employee, UK-based son lose ₹52.5 lakh in fake IPO investment scamA 73-year-old retired govt employee and his son, a radiologist based in the UK, lost ₹52.51 lakh to fraudsters who posed as representatives of a stock brokerage firm.In his complaint to the police, the septuagenarian from Langar Houz said that his son visited Hyderabad in the last week of September and told him about an Instagram advertisement about IPO allotments. Upon clicking on the advertisement, the radiologist was added to WhatsApp groups using the name and logo of a well-known stock brokerage firm.“The fraudsters promised daily returns of 5% to 20% and persuaded the victims to invest money into individual bank accounts using a fake app,” said a cybercrime official.Between Oct 1 and 8, the father and son created separate accounts on the fake platforms and transferred a total of ₹52.51 lakh to different bank accounts. When they tried to withdraw their funds, the fraudsters demanded an additional ₹33 lakh to unfreeze the accounts. The victims then realised they had been cheated.A case was registered on Monday under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and the BNS against unidentified accused.Avoid clicking on links in messages: Hyderabad CPTelangana police are conducting a massive awareness campaign on cyber security. Public should remain alert and avoid clicking on links in messages received from unknown numbers. Such links can install malware and give fraudsters remote access to handsets. Also, anyone offering 5% to 20% daily profits on stock market investments must be treated with suspicion. No police officer can arrest you online, and if you have any doubts before transferring money, check with friends, family members and promptly lodge a complaint by calling the national cyber crime helpline – 1930.