Mumbai: The Mumbai Police's Cyber Helpline 1930 and the South Division Cyber Police Station successfully prevented the loss of ₹1,83,03,492 (92%) in a major cyber fraud case involving the impersonation of a company's director on WhatsApp.
General Manager Duped Into Transferring ₹1.98 Crore
According to the police, on August 6, 2026, the complainant, who works as the General Manager (Accounts) of a private company, received a WhatsApp message from a mobile number displaying the photograph and name of the company's director. The sender claimed it was the director's new personal number and instructed the complainant to urgently transfer ₹1.98 crore to a specified bank account.
Believing the message to be genuine, the complainant immediately transferred ₹1,98,00,000 from the company's bank account to the account provided. However, after informing the director on his original mobile number about the transfer, it was discovered that the WhatsApp message was fraudulent and that cyber fraudsters had impersonated the director.
Cyber Helpline Freezes Over ₹1.83 Crore
The complainant immediately approached the South Division Cyber Police Station and contacted the Mumbai Police Cyber Helpline 1930 to register a complaint. Acting swiftly, the Cyber Helpline team coordinated with the concerned agencies and banks, successfully freezing and recovering ₹1,83,03,492, amounting to nearly 92% of the defrauded money.
The successful operation was carried out under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector Nandkumar Gopale, with the efforts of Assistant Police Inspector Ishan Kharote, Cyber Helpline 1930 Cell Officer Assistant Police Inspector Poonam Jadhav, Police Head Constable Kiran Patil, and Woman Police Constable Sarika Shegar of the South Division Cyber Police Station.
Cyber Safety Advisory:
Mumbai Police have urged citizens and corporate employees to remain vigilant against impersonation scams and issued the following precautions:
- Always verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a senior company official before responding to requests received through WhatsApp or other social media platforms.
- Do not transfer money based solely on messages claiming that a senior executive has changed their mobile number or urgently requires funds for a new project or any other purpose. Confirm such requests directly through a trusted communication channel.
- Verify unknown mobile numbers, even if they display the profile photo or name of a senior official, before acting on any financial instructions.
- In case of any cyber fraud, immediately contact the Cyber Helpline 1930 or report the matter to the nearest police station without delay.
Citizens can also report cyber crimes online through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
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