A Matunga-based exporter lost Rs15.50 lakh after his Indonesia-based client reportedly sent the consignment money to an account in United Kingdom, details of which was given through an email address that was a lookalike email address of his company.
The cyber crooks had reportedly sent a phishing email to the Indonesian client giving them the bank account details to deposit the money. On March 24, the Matunga police registered a case under sections 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for cheating and under relevant sections of Information Technology Act against unknown person(s).
According to the police, the victim (name withheld on request) is a resident of Matunga. His company exports agricultural products. In the first week of February, he had received an email from an Indonesia-based company requesting for agricultural products. The victim's company had sent a quotation of Rs22 lakh to the Indonesian company through an email.
"Once the Indonesian company approved the quotation and sent an instalment of Rs6.50 lakh to the victim's company, the latter delivered the entire consignment. After a fortnight, when the victim did not receive the remaining money, he established contact with the Indonesian company. He was shocked to learn that the import company had made the entire payment by depositing the money in the London-based bank account," said an officer from Matunga police station.
The officer added that the victim then sought the details of the emails received by the Indonesian company. He then realised that there were some emails which were sent from an address that was similar to the email address of his company. "The cyber criminals established contact with the foreign company posing as the victim's company through this bogus email," the officer said.
"We suspect that the criminals first hacked into the email address of the Indonesian company and learnt about its deal with the Matunga-based company. They then probably created a bogus email ID similar to that of the victim's company and then started sending emails to the Indonesian company," said another officer, privy to the investigations.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}