Cybercriminals target victims in India through impersonation and WhatsApp scams

Cybercriminals in India are utilizing sophisticated impersonation tactics to defraud individuals and businesses. In Pinjore, a 65-year-old retiree lost ₹7 lakh after fraudsters posed as Delhi Police and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers. The scammers used video calls featuring individuals in police uniforms to convince the victim that his identity was linked to criminal activities. Under the guise of a legal investigation, the victim was pressured into transferring funds to a logistics company account, with the promise of a full refund within 24 hours.

In a separate incident in Faridabad, police arrested six individuals for a ₹50 lakh cyber-fraud scheme. The scammers used a photograph of a company’s Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) on WhatsApp to trick an employee into transferring funds. The investigation revealed a complex network of account transfers involving multiple individuals across Mumbai and Gujarat. Authorities successfully froze ₹29 lakh of the defrauded amount, and the suspects have been placed in judicial custody.