KOCHI: Yet another firm in Kochi fell victim to cybercrime, with a fraudster swindling nearly Rs 42 lakh from its bank account after duping one of its employees. As per the case registered by the police on Thursday, an unknown person created a fake WhatsApp account of V Sunil Kumar, the managing director of Asset Homes, and sent a message to its chief financial officer (CFO) Deepak Thomas asking for money last week.
“The WhatsApp profile had the MD’s photograph. Multiple messages were sent to the CFO demanding money urgently. The CFO said the messages were extremely convincing. So, he sent Rs 41.81 lakh to the bank accounts mentioned in the messages as directed,” said a police officer. The fraud came to light when the MD noticed the transactions and told Deepak that he had never requested any money. Deepak approached the Kochi Cyber police and a case was registered for impersonation and cheating under the IPC and IT Act.
Police are trying to trace the accounts to which the money was sent. “As per the initial probe, the money went to bank accounts in northern states. We don’t know if the accounts are fake or already in use by someone,” said an officer.
A similar fraud was reported in Aluva in January in which a spices extract manufacturing company lost Rs 45 lakh to Bihar-based cyber fraudsters.
In February, the Ernakulam Rural police arrested a Bihar native in connection with the case. The modus operandi was same; the finance officer received a message from the WhatsApp account having the picture of the MD demanding money.
“The scammers get the pictures of top officials of the firms they are targeting from social media or the internet,” said an officer with the Ernakulam Rural Cyber Police Station.