The Mumbai Crime Branch's West Cyber Cell successfully stopped a South Bombay (SoBo) businessman from losing INR 85 lakh in an online scam. The incident came to light on November 26 when cybercriminals used the businessman's identity to create a fake WhatsApp profile.
The scammers contacted one of the businessman's employees through this profile. Pretending to be the businessman, they requested INR 85 lakh urgently for a major business deal. When the employee called the number to confirm, the scammers claimed they were in a meeting and asked to transfer the money immediately.
Believing it was a genuine request, the employee transferred the money. After this, the employee was unable to access the phone. The issue was reported to senior company staff, who quickly verified that no such transfer was authorised by the businessman.
Realizing it was a scam, the businessman contacted the cybercrime helpline in 1930. The helpline team alerted the bank and stopped the transaction before the scammers could withdraw the money. This prevented the loss of INR 85 lakh.
A formal complaint has been filed, and investigations are underway to identify those behind the fake profile. As per reports, the businessman owns a cement company in South Mumbai.
Mumbai Cyber Cell has saved INR 1.31 crore from cybercriminals in the last 24 hours. As of November 26, the Cyber Cell has prevented cybercriminals from stealing ₹136 crore in 2024.