German firm in Bengaluru loses Rs 15 lakh in online fraud

BENGALURU: A German company has fallen prey to cyber crime and lost Rs 15 lakh after an email was intercepted by hackers.

Bengaluru-based HP Instruments (HPI) which manufactures scientific instruments was to receive Rs 15 lakh from the Gernam company. According to police sources, HPI sent an email to the firm with its bank account details. However, hackers intercepted the email and sent a fake email to the German firm asking it to transfer the money to another bank account.

On April 18, the German firm transferred Rs 15 lakh and was under the impression that the Indian company received the money.

The fraud came to light when HPI got calls from its other clients who said they received emails from it (HPI) seeking transfer of money. When checked, it was found out that the German firm had transferred the money to somebody else.

HPI told Express that the money was sent to the fraudster’s account in a single transaction. The German company has filed a complaint in its country where the authorities have taken up the investigation.

Sources said the companies communicate in an exclusive channel with a “secured network”. The person who intercepted the email sent a fake email with a slightly changed domain (ex: gmal.com for gmail.com) which the German firm noticed later.

The Cyber Police said there have been many cases where emails are frequently intercepted and fake emails sent. It is better for companies to speak to their counterparts before transferring money, they said.