Fri Mar 14 20:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Telangana Cyber Crime Bureau Recovers ₹1.95 Crore in WhatsApp Scam
**Hyderabad, India** – In a significant victory against cybercrime, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau has recovered ₹1.95 crore (approximately $236,000 USD) after a Hyderabad firm fell victim to a WhatsApp impersonation scam. An accounts officer transferred the funds believing they were following instructions from the company’s Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), who had seemingly requested the advance payment for a new project via WhatsApp.
The message appeared to originate from the CMD’s account, complete with his profile picture. However, it was a fraudulent message sent by cybercriminals. Upon realizing the unauthorized transfer, the actual CMD immediately contacted his accounts officer and filed a complaint with the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
Working swiftly, the NCRP, along with the company, the CMD, and the bank’s nodal officers, traced the funds. Remarkably, the entire amount was recovered before the criminals could withdraw it.
This incident highlights the ongoing threat of cybercrime, with numerous individuals and companies falling prey to similar scams. Recent examples include a woman in Hyderabad losing ₹1 crore in a stock market investment fraud and social media influencer Akanksha Thakral losing ₹1.1 lakh in a banking impersonation scam.
The Indian government has issued repeated warnings about such scams and is actively combating the issue. The National Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has blocked nearly 60,000 fraudulent WhatsApp accounts and helped recover over ₹3,431 crore in reported financial cyber frauds. A dedicated helpline, 1930, is available for victims. Telangana authorities have also released guidelines to help citizens avoid becoming victims of similar scams.
First Piper 