Hyderabad Police Warn of WhatsApp Web Impersonation Scam Targeting Corporate Finance Staff
Phishing malware gives attackers remote access used to send fake payment orders from real executive accounts.
Overview
- Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar, in a Saturday public alert, said several recent cases show criminals targeting CEOs, CFOs, business heads and accountants at large firms.
- The scheme starts with phishing emails to official company addresses that install remote-access malware when a victim clicks a malicious link.
- Once on a compromised computer, attackers use any active WhatsApp Web session to message staff from the executive’s real account and order urgent transfers.
- Fraudsters often claim they are stuck in a meeting and cannot take calls, which pressures accountants to send large sums running into crores without a phone check.
- Police urged phone verification of any payment request received on messaging apps, routine logout from WhatsApp Web, robust firewalls and antivirus, staff training, and immediate reporting to 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.