In a significant victory against international cyber criminals, the Indore cell of the Madhya Pradesh Cyber Police successfully recovered a staggering sum of Rs 3.72 crore for a local company that fell victim to a sophisticated email fraud scheme. The swift action and cross-border coordination prevented a massive financial loss for Shivganga Drillers Private Limited, based in Indore.
The Elaborate Email Spoofing Scam
The fraud unfolded when Shivganga Drillers was required to make a legitimate international business payment of US $415,017.58 (approximately Rs 3.72 crore) to its vendor, Innovex International Inc, located in Houston, United States. Cyber criminals, using a technique known as Business Email Compromise (BEC), intercepted the transaction. They impersonated the legitimate vendor by sending spoofed emails that appeared authentic, fraudulently diverting the payment instructions to a suspicious bank account held with JP Morgan Bank in the US.
"The fraudsters manipulated email communication by impersonating the vendor. The spoofed emails altered banking details in a manner that made the messages seem completely trustworthy," explained SP Cyber, Sabyasachi Saraf. Acting on these deceptive instructions, the company transferred the substantial amount to the fraudulent account.
Detection and Swift Police Action
The company's suspicion was raised when, after the transfer, they received another spoofed email claiming the payment was rejected and requesting a fresh transfer to an alternative account. This prompted company officials to directly contact their Houston-based vendor via telephone for verification. It was then confirmed that no payment rejection had occurred, and they had been targeted by cyber fraud.
The victim company immediately approached the State Cyber Cell in Indore. A complaint was promptly registered on the National Cyber Crime Portal (I4C). Given the international nature of the crime, a parallel complaint was filed on the IC3 portal, which operates under the jurisdiction of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
International Coordination Leads to Full Recovery
Based on the complaint details from both portals, official communication was urgently sent to JP Morgan Bank. Due to rapid coordination, the suspicious account was immediately placed on hold. Through the Bank of India, where the Indore company holds its account, an international recall process was initiated.
Inspectors Dinesh Verma and Sub Inspector Itendra Singh of the state cyber cell played a crucial role, coordinating between the Indian cybercrime portal, the US Internet Crime Complaint Centre, and the overseas vendor. As a result of this timely intervention, the entire fraudulently transferred amount in US dollars was successfully recovered and returned to the company.
Public Advisory from Cyber Police
Following this incident, the state cyber cell has issued a strong public advisory urging businesses and citizens to exercise extreme caution with emails requesting changes in bank account details. Authorities emphasize that any such request must be verified through independent communication channels, such as a direct phone call to a known number, before authorizing any payment.
In case of any suspicion, individuals and companies are advised to immediately contact the nearest cyber cell or the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) to prevent financial fraud. This case highlights the increasing sophistication of cross-border cyber crimes and the critical importance of verification and prompt reporting.
