HYDERABAD: A supermarket allegedly lost 2.7 crore after fraudsters used a malicious ZIP file to compromise its accountant’s phone and impersonated the company’s CEO on WhatsApp to induce money transfers.
Hyderabad cyber crime police registered a case after a 36-year-old businessman and partner in the supermarket lodged a complaint, stating that the accountant opened a ZIP file received on WhatsApp from a company employee’s number.
When he later opened it on his computer, a security alert flagged it as malicious. He ignored the warning, and the computer became unresponsive. IT support subsequently restored it.
The accountant later found that his WhatsApp conversation with the CEO had disappeared and a new contact bearing the CEO’s name had appeared under a different number. The fraudster forwarded messages from their earlier conversation, making the accountant believe the contact was genuine.
On October 1, the impersonator instructed him to transfer 30 lakh. After learning that another account held 59 lakh, the fraudster sought a further 30 lakh, followed by more transfers. Between October 1 and 8, he transferred 2.7 crore, . When the fraudster demanded another 50 lakh, the accountant checked with the CEO, who was present at the office, and discovered the fraud.
Retd employee loses Rs 2.12 crore to digital arrest scam
A 72-year-old retired Nampally employee lost 2.12 crore in a digital arrest scam after fraudsters posing as police officers threatened to arrest her in a money laundering case. She transferred the money in 10 transactions between September 7 and October 3, police said.