51-year-old CRO scammed out of ₹1.10 crore by WhatsApp impersonation scam in Dharashiv

Summary

A 51-year-old Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of a private firm in Dharashiv was scammed out of ₹1.10 crore by a fraudster who impersonated the company’s chairman on WhatsApp. On April 15, the victim received a message from an unknown number displaying the chairman’s photograph as the profile picture, leading him to believe the sender was genuine. Two days later, the impersonator requested an urgent transfer of ₹1.10 crore to a provided bank account, claiming it was for a project-related expense. The CRO made the transfer before realizing the deception when the company’s accountant informed the actual chairman, who denied making the request. A police case was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, including charges of identity theft and cheating by impersonation. Investigations are ongoing to trace the scammer and recover the funds.