A major cyber fraud has been reported in Kanpur’s commercial hub, Birhana Road, where the director of PB Society Jewellers was duped of ₹1.09 crore. Cybercriminals impersonated the director on WhatsApp and tricked the company’s accountant into transferring large sums to three firms based in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
According to reports, the incident occurred on Friday when the firm’s accountant received a message from a new WhatsApp number displaying the director’s name. The sender first asked for the account balance and then directed immediate fund transfers to three different firms. Believing the message to be genuine, the accountant transferred a total of ₹1.09 crore without verification.
The Sequence of the Fraud
Uttar Pradesh Sarafa Association president and firm owner Mahesh Chandra Jain said his son Prashant Jain serves as the director of PB Society Jewellers. The accountant, Gajendra Rathore, a resident of Ratanpur village, has been associated with the firm for years.
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On October 10, Rathore received a WhatsApp message that appeared to be from the director. After confirming the balance, the sender shared two account details:
- Rokadia Electric & Sales Centre — ₹52.70 lakh
- Living Events Pvt. Ltd. — ₹51.60 lakh
Following the instructions, the accountant transferred ₹51.60 lakh through Bank of India and ₹52.70 lakh via RTGS. Later, another message directed him to send ₹4.87 lakh to Shalima Firm, which he executed the next working day.
Revelation and Investigation
When Prashant Jain arrived at the office that evening, he was shocked to learn about the transactions. The firm immediately contacted banks to freeze the accounts, but the money had already been withdrawn.
A complaint was promptly lodged at the Cyber Crime Police Station, and an investigation was initiated.
Police Action
Kanpur Police Commissioner said that the cyber cell has been tasked with tracing the suspects.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the delay in alerting the bank allowed the fraudsters to divert the funds into multiple accounts. The cyber team is tracking the transaction trail and gathering details from various banks to identify the culprits.”
Cybercrime Expert’s View
Prof. Triveni Singh, former IPS officer and one of India’s leading cybercrime experts, expressed concern over the growing trend of such impersonation-based frauds. He said:
“This case shows how cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using social engineering and digital impersonation to exploit internal communication gaps.
Businesses must strengthen their verification mechanisms—especially for high-value transactions—and provide regular cyber awareness and digital hygiene training to their staff. Implementing multi-level approval systems and voice verification before fund transfers is essential. Most cybercrimes occur not because of technology failure, but due to human error and misplaced trust.”
Conclusion
The Kanpur incident serves as a serious warning for businesses relying heavily on digital communication. Experts stress the need for greater collaboration between law enforcement agencies, banks, and corporate entities to build a proactive cyber vigilance framework capable of preventing such frauds in the future.
