Centre Warns Of 'Boss Scam', WhatsApp Account Takeover Fraud; Issues Cyber Advisory
The Centre has warned citizens and organisations about the emerging Boss Scam, in which cybercriminals impersonate senior executives through WhatsApp and email to trigger fraudulent fund transfers. The advisory urges users to verify financial requests, avoid unknown files, review linked WhatsApp devices and report cyber fraud via 1930 or the national portal.
The Centre has issued a cyber advisory warning against CEO impersonation scams and WhatsApp account takeover fraud targeting organisations | AI Generated Representational Image
Mumbai, July 2, 2026: In view of rising cybercrime incidents, the Central Government has cautioned citizens and organisations against the emerging trend of "Boss Scam" or CEO impersonation fraud, wherein cybercriminals impersonate regulators and senior executives through emails or WhatsApp messages, claiming urgent regulatory compliance or security requirements.
According to officials, the National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit (NCTAU), in an advisory, stated that it has observed cybercriminals impersonating regulators and senior executives through emails or WhatsApp messages, claiming urgent regulatory compliance or security requirements.
Fraudsters Target Executives
"The victims are tricked into opening malicious files, allowing fraudsters to compromise devices and active WhatsApp sessions. Using the executive's account, criminals send instructions to finance or accounts personnel and orchestrate fraudulent fund transfers," the advisory stated.
The officials advised citizens and organisations to verify any urgent financial transaction or account change request through a direct voice call or in-person confirmation. "Do not install files or applications received from unknown or unverified sources. Regulators do not send software updates through WhatsApp attachments," the advisory stated.
Safety Measures Advised
Victims are also advised to regularly review and remove unknown devices or inactive sessions from WhatsApp Linked Devices, ensure systems are protected with updated security solutions, and report any cyber fraud or suspicious activity immediately by calling 1930 or visiting www.cybercrime.gov.in.
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Recently, the NCTAU issued an advisory warning citizens about an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven authentication bypass scam. The unit observed that fraudsters may use facial recordings obtained through deceptive video calls, fake online job interviews or social engineering tactics to gain unauthorised access to financial and digital services.
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