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Navi Mumbai: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, an unidentified scammer impersonated the owner of a prominent Navi Mumbai-based construction company, Shri Sai Developers, and tricked the company accountant into transferring Rs 45.5 lakh to a fake bank account via WhatsApp messages.
Scammer Posed as Firm Owner on WhatsApp
The incident came to light after the firm’s accountant, Trupti Katke — who has been working with the company for the past four years — received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number claiming to be the company’s owner, Abhishek Sharma. At the time, Sharma was abroad on a business trip which the fraudster exploited to deceive the staff.
Fake Number Introduced as 'New Contact'
The scammer introduced the number as the owner’s “new contact” and convinced Katke to transfer funds under the pretext of urgent payments to suppliers. Believing the request to be genuine, Katke transferred a total of Rs 45.5 lakh from eight different company bank accounts to the bank details provided by the fraudster.
Suspicion Arose After Calls Went Unanswered
"Later, when she tried to call the same number, the call went unanswered. Her suspicions grew when she discovered that other staff members were still in contact with the real Abhishek Sharma on his regular number. With the help of Operations Manager Santosh Ghadge, she contacted Sharma directly, who confirmed he had not changed his number nor asked anyone to transfer money," a police officer from Vashi police station said.
Complaint Filed on NCCRP and at Vashi Police Station
Realizing that she had been duped, Katke immediately filed a complaint on the NCCRP portal and then lodged a formal complaint at Vashi Police Station. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of fraud and the IT Act against the unknown cyber criminal and have initiated an investigation.
