Hyderabad IT Professional Defrauded of Rs 1.6 Lakh in Sophisticated WhatsApp Scam
In a distressing incident highlighting the growing sophistication of digital fraud, a senior IT professional working for a US-based artificial intelligence company in Hyderabad has been cheated out of over Rs 1.6 lakh. The elaborate scam involved fraudsters impersonating the victim's CEO through a carefully crafted WhatsApp message, exploiting trust and urgency to orchestrate the theft.
The Deceptive Approach and Immediate Compliance
The victim, a resident of Kokapet, received a WhatsApp message on January 19 from an unknown number. Crucially, the sender's display picture (DP) featured the image of his company's US-based Chief Executive Officer, lending an immediate air of legitimacy to the communication. The imposter, posing as the CEO, issued an urgent request for the purchase of Amazon gift cards, creating a sense of pressure that bypassed normal verification protocols.
Acting on these fraudulent instructions, the professional proceeded to buy a total of 18 Amazon gift cards between 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM on the same day. The purchase consisted of three cards valued at Rs 5,000 each and fifteen cards worth Rs 10,000 each, cumulatively amounting to Rs 1,65,000. Following the purchase, the victim emailed the redemption codes directly to the imposter, who promptly redeemed all the cards, leaving no opportunity for recovery through that channel.
Suspicion Arises and Fraud is Confirmed
The situation escalated when the fraudulent caller, not content with the initial haul, pressed for additional funds. The imposter advised the victim to break his recurring deposit and even borrow money to meet the demand. This extreme request finally triggered the victim's suspicion. Seeking clarity, he consulted his company's Human Resources department, where the devastating truth was revealed: he had fallen prey to a scam.
Further investigation within the company uncovered that a colleague had been targeted in a similar fraudulent attempt just a few days prior, although that attempt was unsuccessful. This pattern suggests a targeted campaign against employees of this particular firm.
Futile Recovery Attempts and Police Intervention
Upon realizing the fraud, the victim immediately attempted to cancel the gift cards through Amazon's customer service, but these efforts proved futile as the codes had already been redeemed. He then contacted his banks to report the unauthorized transactions stemming from the scam. With no recourse through commercial channels, the victim formally approached the Cyberabad police to file a complaint.
Based on his complaint, the Cyberabad cybercrime police registered a case on Tuesday. The charges have been filed under Section 318(4) (cheating) and Section 319(2) (cheating by personation) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alongside Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act. This legal action underscores the serious nature of the crime, combining traditional cheating statutes with specific IT laws designed to combat digital impersonation and fraud.
A Cautionary Tale for Professionals
This case serves as a stark warning for professionals, especially those in the IT sector who may be perceived as high-value targets. Scammers are increasingly leveraging personal details, such as organizational hierarchy and executive identities, to create highly convincing social engineering attacks. The use of a CEO's image in a WhatsApp DP is a particularly insidious tactic designed to override an employee's natural caution.
Cybersecurity experts consistently advise verifying any unusual financial requests, especially those conveyed through informal messaging platforms like WhatsApp, via a separate, confirmed communication channel. A direct phone call to a known number or an in-person verification can prevent such sophisticated scams. This incident in Hyderabad is a potent reminder that in the digital age, vigilance and verification are the first lines of defense against financial fraud.
