Cyber Fraudster Impersonates Ahmedabad Company Director on WhatsApp, Dupes Firm of ₹95.8 Lakh
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
An unidentified cyber fraudster allegedly impersonated an Ahmedabad company director on WhatsApp and duped a financial services firm of ₹95.80 lakh through an RTGS transfer.
The Cyber Cell of the Ahmedabad Crime Branch said the accused allegedly gained unauthorised access to the company’s mobile phone or office computer, took control of its WhatsApp account and replaced the director’s registered number with an unknown number.
According to the complaint, the accused used the photograph of director Rupeshbhai Savla as the WhatsApp display picture and sent payment instructions to employees, making them believe the messages were genuine.
The complaint was filed by Ankur Ashwinbhai Shah, 51, an accountant with Horn Ok Please Financial Services Pvt Ltd near Law Garden. Shah told police that he had been working with the company for around six months and was responsible for initiating transactions from its bank account. The transactions were checked and approved by Sheetalben Savla, the director’s wife.
₹95.80 Lakh Transferred Through RTGS
The company’s WhatsApp account was linked to its official mobile phone and was also logged into the office computer through WhatsApp Web.
On July 1, while Shah was at the office, a message appeared on the company’s WhatsApp account from a number saved as ‘RKS’, which was believed to belong to Savla. The message instructed him to transfer ₹95.80 lakh through RTGS to an account in the name of Jai Bhavani Motors Private Limited.
Shah said he believed the instruction was genuine because the message carried Savla’s photograph as the display picture. At around 2.09 pm, he transferred ₹95.80 lakh through net banking to the beneficiary account.
Second Transfer Raised Suspicion
The next day, another message allegedly instructed Shah to transfer ₹1.21 crore through RTGS to an account belonging to MSR Traders.
Before making the second transfer, Shah contacted a colleague, Parasharbhai, and informed him about the instruction. He also contacted Savla, who told him that he had not sent the message.
The employees then checked Savla’s contact details on the company’s phone and allegedly found that his genuine mobile number had been replaced with an unknown number ending in 8353. The accused had allegedly retained Savla’s photograph while impersonating him.
Cyber Cell Registers Case
The company subsequently contacted the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and lodged a complaint on July 7.
The complaint alleges that an unidentified person, possibly with accomplices, sent a file containing a password or otherwise hacked the company’s mobile phone or office computer. The accused allegedly gained unauthorised access to WhatsApp, changed the director’s contact details and issued fraudulent payment instructions.
The Cyber Cell of the Ahmedabad Crime Branch has registered a case against the unidentified accused and others who may emerge during the investigation. The company’s directors and employees have been listed as witnesses.
