Mumbai: A businessman from Navi Mumbai's Sanpada area has been duped of Rs 1.25 crore in a sophisticated online scam. The fraudster, posing as the director of a fictitious company, successfully manipulated the victim into transferring the massive sum through deceptive means. The case has been registered by the Cyber Police of Mumbai’s East Division, who are now investigating the matter.
Details On The Online Fraud
According to reports citing police records, the victim is a 44-year-old businessman residing in Sanpada. He was approached between April 15, 2024, and April 16, 2025, by the alleged scammer, who introduced himself via WhatsApp as the director of a company named "PK Pharma Tech." The accused even provided a new mobile number, asking the businessman to save it under the firm’s directory to gain credibility and trust, reported Lokmat Times.
The fraudster then convinced the victim that an urgent advance payment was required to secure a lucrative business deal. He managed to extract sensitive banking information from the victim under false pretences. Trusting the impersonator, the businessman transferred Rs 1.25 crore in multiple transactions from both his personal and business accounts, unaware that he was being duped.
Case Filed With Cyber Police
The crime came to light when the victim realised that the promised deal was a sham and approached the authorities. Based on his complaint, the Cyber Police registered a case under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which pertains to cheating through digital means.
Officials have confirmed that the accused remains unidentified and efforts are underway to trace him and any possible accomplices. The police are exploring digital footprints, bank transaction trails and communication records in an effort to locate the accused in the matter.
