Mumbai: A cyber fraud case has come forward from Mumbai's western region cyber police, revealing a sophisticated cyber fraud operation that involved impersonation on WhatsApp, leading a senior finance executive to transfer Rs 1.93 crore from a company bank account. The plan focused on the chief financial officer (CFO) of a private firm in Andheri.
From April 12 to April 15, the CFO obtained messages from a mobile number impersonating the company's director, which created an impression of authenticity, according to a report by Mid Day. The impersonator, asserting pressing business matters tied to a collaboration involving government officials and a private company, demanded a large payment. Confident in the sender's identity, the CFO completed the transfer of Rs 1,93,06,000.
The deception came to light on April 15, when the impersonator asked for an extra Rs 3 crore. The CFO, feeling uneasy, reached out to the real director, who verified he had not made any such request, resulting in a quick notification to the authorities. A FIR was lodged on April 28.
After thorough technical analysis, police apprehended six suspects linked to the fraud. Shubham Bajirao Kunjir, aged 28, residing in Pune, was recognized as the main suspect, possessing the beneficiary account. Additional apprehended persons comprised Akshay Gorakh Shelke and Ujjwal Raj Kumar Singh, with their involvement still under scrutiny.
Additionally, Shubhamkumar Jaipal Singh Pardeshi arranged provisions and collected banking resources, while Aditya Dilip Shinde communicated transaction information according to a report by Mid Day. Iran Shivpal Mishra was involved in providing banking details to Chinese agents and transforming money into cryptocurrency.
Officials confiscated several gadgets, such as cell phones, computers, and banking-related materials. Inquiries showed the bank account in use had participated in several earlier cyber fraud cases. Officials urged the public to verify financial requests obtained digitally on their own and promote prompt reporting of any suspicious activities to the relevant authorities.
