A private company in Agra has allegedly lost ₹1.98 crore in a cyber fraud after an accountant received a spoofed WhatsApp message that appeared to be from the company’s director. The incident has prompted an investigation by the Cyber Crime Police Station following a complaint filed by Santosh Kumar Sharma, Director of SKS Infra Projects Private Limited.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on July 9, 2026, when the company’s accountant, Ram Mohan, received a WhatsApp message from a number that closely resembled the director’s mobile number. The message instructed him to make an urgent payment on behalf of the company. Believing the request to be genuine, the accountant transferred ₹1.98 crore from the company’s ICICI Bank account to an account belonging to Mamik Kitchen Private Limited with IndusInd Bank, without carrying out additional verification.
The alleged fraud came to light after Santosh Kumar Sharma noticed the large transaction and questioned the accountant. During an internal review, it was confirmed that no such payment instruction had been issued by the director.
Police suspect that the accused used WhatsApp spoofing or other digital manipulation techniques to impersonate the company director and exploit the organization’s payment process. Investigators are examining how the fraudsters obtained the director’s mobile number, created the fake WhatsApp identity, and carried out the transaction.
The company reported the incident through the cyber fraud helpline, following which a case was registered. Investigators are analysing bank records, WhatsApp communication, mobile numbers, IP addresses, digital footprints, and other technical evidence to identify those involved.
Police are also investigating whether the fraud was carried out by an organised cybercrime group involved in corporate payment scams. The beneficiary account, transaction trail, and possible links to other suspicious financial activities are also under examination.
Prof. Triveni Singh, a cybercrime expert and former IPS officer, said corporate cyber frauds increasingly rely on social engineering, fake identities, and manipulation of digital communication platforms to deceive employees. He advised organisations to implement multi-level payment verification processes, confirm high-value transactions through direct communication, and avoid approving large payments solely based on WhatsApp or email instructions without independent verification.
The investigation is ongoing, and police said further legal action will be taken if additional individuals or a larger cybercrime network is found to be involved.
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