Cybercriminals siphoned off Rs 40 lakh from the bank account of Bajrang Infra Engineering Projects Private Limited in Lucknow through a boss scam after hacking the mobile phone of a company director. The fraudsters gained unauthorized control of the executive’s device and sent instructions over WhatsApp to the mobile number linked to the firm’s bank account, directing the accounts staff to clear an urgent transfer. Believing the communication came directly from company leadership, the accounts personnel processed the transaction. The fraudulent activity was uncovered shortly after, prompting an immediate complaint that enabled the cyber crime police to step in and freeze the full amount before it could be withdrawn.
Fraudsters Exploit Compromised WhatsApp Account to Order Transfer
Company director Jitendra Kumar Verma approached the Cyber Crime Police Station on Wednesday to report the theft. He stated that the firm is managed by two directors, including himself. According to the complaint, cybercriminals compromised the mobile phone belonging to the other director at 12:27 pm on Wednesday. Operating through the hijacked WhatsApp account, the perpetrators contacted the official mobile number linked to the corporate bank account, ordering the transfer of Rs 40 lakh under the name of Shyam Enterprises.
The message directed the accounts staff to deposit the funds into an account held at a Bandhan Bank branch in Shalimar Bagh, Delhi. Because the request originated from the official mobile number of one of the firm’s directors, the accounting team accepted the message as genuine and transferred the funds without suspicion.
Timely Action on Helpline 1930 Helps Police Secure Entire Amount
The fraudulent transfer came to light only after the accounts department informed Jitendra Kumar Verma about the completed payment. Verma immediately reached out to the other director to verify the transaction, only to learn that the latter had never issued the instruction or authorized any transfer from company funds.
Realizing that the director’s device had been breached, Verma promptly reported the fraud via the national cyber helpline number 1930 and lodged a formal complaint at the Cyber Crime Police Station. Acting on the alert, cyber crime officers intervened with the relevant banking channels and successfully froze the entire sum of Rs 40 lakh. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Kiran Yadav stated that the police managed to stop the funds because the complaint was lodged without delay. A police team is now working to track the perpetrators and investigate how the phone was compromised.
Modus Operandi Behind Boss Scams Targeting Corporate Accounts
The case highlights the growing threat of the boss scam, an impersonation technique used by cybercriminals to target commercial organizations. In such operations, fraudsters gain unauthorized access to the phone, email, or messaging profile of a senior executive, such as a chief executive officer or managing director. They then exploit that authority by instructing the finance or accounts department to transfer company funds into fraudulent beneficiary accounts.
Because the instructions appear to originate directly from senior leaders, employees often execute the requests without independent confirmation, allowing substantial corporate funds to be siphoned away.
