A major 'boss scam' has come to light in Mumbai, where cyber fraudsters allegedly used the name and photograph of a company's director to trick an employee into transferring Rs 1.98 crore to a bank account. The incident took place on August 6, 2026, and police managed to secure around 92 per cent of the allegedly defrauded amount after the complaint was reported.
The victim, a general manager at a private company, received WhatsApp messages from an unfamiliar mobile number. The account used the company's director's name and profile photograph, making the messages appear genuine.
Fraudsters posed as the company director
According to the complaint, the fraudsters allegedly impersonated the company's senior official and told the employee that an urgent payment needed to be made. The employee was instructed to immediately transfer Rs 1.98 crore to a specified bank account. Believing that the message had genuinely come from the company's director, the employee followed the instructions and transferred the money.
The scam was discovered only after the transaction had been completed.
Employee contacts real director after transfer
After making the payment, the employee contacted the company's director on his actual mobile number to inform him about the transaction. It was then that the employee learnt that the director had not sent any such message or authorised the payment. The fraudsters had allegedly misused his name and photograph to impersonate him and manipulate the employee into transferring the money.
Realising that it was a cyber fraud, the victim immediately contacted the Mumbai Police cyber helpline 1930 and the Cyber Police Station in the South Division.
Police secure over Rs 1.83 crore
Following the complaint, police acted quickly and began tracking the financial transaction. Their intervention helped secure Rs 1,83,03,492, which is around 92 per cent of the total amount allegedly transferred by the victim. The swift reporting of the incident played an important role in enabling the authorities to trace the transaction and prevent most of the money from being lost.
Mumbai Police issues warning over 'boss scams'
Mumbai Police has urged citizens and employees to remain particularly cautious when receiving payment instructions through WhatsApp, Telegram or other social media platforms. Police advised people not to act solely on the basis of a senior officer's name or profile photograph. If a message arrives from a new or unfamiliar number asking for an urgent money transfer, employees should independently verify the request by contacting the concerned person through their existing or official phone number. Police also cautioned people against transferring money simply because the sender's profile appears to belong to a senior company official.
Call 1930 immediately after cyber fraud
Police said anyone who suspects that they have fallen victim to a cyber financial fraud should act without delay. Citizens can call the 1930 cyber fraud helpline or file a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. According to police, reporting the transaction at the earliest possible stage can significantly improve the chances of stopping or recovering the money.
The Mumbai case is another reminder that a familiar name and photograph on a messaging app are not enough to establish someone's identity, particularly when the message involves an urgent financial transaction.
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