‘Your MD’: Gang tricks official to transfer ₹6.5L

Sagrika Kissu / Jan 2, 2023, 08:10 IST

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A delivery services company's chief financial officer was allegedly tricked into transferring 67,000 rupees ($943) to two different recipients after a caller posing as the company's managing director instructed him to do so. The fraud was reported to the police on Sunday. Officials said the incident took place on August 31, 2022, and the FIR was registered this weekend. The company's office is in Gurgaon, a city in the Indian state of Haryana. The victim, Mukti Lal, told police that he received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number on August 31. The call was disconnected minutes later, and Lal received a WhatsApp message from the same number asking for money transfers from the company's account to two other recipients. Lal transferred 97,000 rupees ($1,494) to an account under the name of Ujjawal Raj and another 67,000 rupees ($943) to Rakesh Kumar before 5pm that day. The larger transfer for the sum did not go through, but 67,000 rupees was transferred again a couple of minutes later. Lal contacted company officials afterwards realizing that he was cheated. Later, he learned that the company's receptionist had received a call from a man who claimed to be the managing director's

‘Your MD’: Gang tricks official to transfer ₹6.5L

Gurgaon: The chief financial officer of a delivery services company was allegedly tricked into transferring Rs 6.7 lakh after a caller impersonating the firm’s managing director directed him to do so, police officers said on Sunday.
The incident took place on August 31, 2022, and the FIR was registered this weekend, police said on Sunday, adding that they were investigating the charges.
CFO Mukti Lal told cops he first received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number, but that got disconnected. Minutes later, Lal said he got a WhatsApp message from the same number, seeking urgent money transfers from the company’s account to two others.
Since the display picture for the number had the MD’s image, the CFO believed it to be genuine and agreed to transfer the money.

“Our MD was abroad at the time and the WhatsApp photo was also of him, so I believed that he really might be in need of money. I transferred Rs 9.7 lakh to an account under the name of Ujjawal Raj and another Rs 6.7 lakh to one Rakesh Kumar before 5pm that day,” Lal told cops on Sunday.
The transaction for the larger sum did not go through, but Rs 6.7 lakh was transferred.
Then again, a couple of minutes later, the CFO got another message from the number, asking for another transfer.

He got suspicious and contacted company officials, subsequently realising that he was cheated.
“Later I got to know that earlier that day, our company receptionist had received a call from a man who claimed to be the MD’s cousin and asked for my phone number,” Lal said.
The company has its office in Sector 31, Gurgaon.
A complaint was filed at the Cyber Crime police station on September 1.
Police said they were investigating the charges and registered an FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 419 (cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property) on December 31.
“We are investigating the matter. We hope to nab the culprits soon,” a police official said. When asked, the official said this modus operandi wasn’t uncommon for cyber frauds.
“A person impersonates a company official and then asks for money on WhatsApp. Employees fall for it as they think their boss wants urgent money. A similar fraud had targeted the Haryana police department earlier,” the official added.

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