How a Kerala-based scammer impersonated a Hyderabad company head to steal Rs 1.2 crore
The probe revealed that the accused used mule bank accounts to receive and route the stolen funds, frequently moving money across multiple accounts nationwide to evade detection.
By Newsmeter Network
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Hyderabad: In a sophisticated cyberfraud operation, the Hyderabad Cyber Crime police arrested a Kerala-based man allegedly involved in a Rs 1.2 crore WhatsApp impersonation scam.
The fraudster, who used the victim’s photo and name to deceive her company accountant, was tracked down to Kozhikode, Kerala.
The arrested accused has been identified as Harshad from Kozhikode. Two other associates, Meethale Puthiyottil Anaz and Vazhayil Valappil Hiba Fathima, are currently absconding.
What is the scam about?
As per the information shared by the police, on March 13, the company accountant received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number. The scammer had set the victim’s name and display picture (DP) as their own, successfully impersonating her to gain the accountant’s trust.
Under the guise of urgent business instructions, the fraudster induced the accountant to transfer a staggering Rs 1,20,00,000 to various bank accounts. The fraud was uncovered only when the scammer attempted further suspicious transactions, prompting the victim to verify the initial transfer.
Mule accounts used to route stolen funds
Police registered a case and launched a multi-state investigation.
The probe revealed that the accused used mule bank accounts to receive and route the stolen funds, frequently moving money across multiple accounts nationwide to evade detection.
Accused is a habitual offender
Investigations revealed that the accused is a habitual offender. The South India Bank account he provided for the fraud was found to be involved in at least four other cybercrime cases reported across Kerala, Karnataka and Rajasthan.
Officials confirmed that Harshad received a commission of Rs 10 lakh for supplying his current account for these illegal transactions, which processed over Rs 1.67 crore in fraudulent funds.
Public advisory
DCP (Cyber Crime) V Aravind Babu has urged citizens to be extremely cautious:
Verify before transferring: Always independently verify requests for urgent money transfers, even if the sender’s profile picture and name look familiar.
Beware of Impersonation: Fraudsters often clone profiles to manipulate staff into believing they are acting on behalf of a company leader or owner.
Report immediately: If you fall victim to a scam, report it immediately to the national helpline at 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in.
