Hyderabad: A managing director (MD) of a reputed company in Hyderabad duped of Rs.2.26 lakh in the name of fake purchase order and vendor registration fraud in the name of defence institutions.
The MD of the company compostable mulch sheets across India received a fraudulent call on September 18 from a person claiming to be “Mr. Kunal” from Air Force Academy, Dundigal. The caller requested a quotation for one ton of mulch and later shared fake GST details and a forged purchase order through WhatsApp, creating trust.
Over the next few days, he demanded vendor registration documents and asked for small test payments to two beneficiary accounts, assuring refunds. On September 26, he further tricked the company into transferring Rs.2.26 lakh under the pretext of completing the order process, falsely promising immediate refunds.
When the refund was not received and further demands were made, the company suspected cyber fraud and promptly lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Cell via helpline number 1930. The police said cyber fraudsters are impersonating officials from reputed government and defence institutions to cheat businesses.
Always verify purchase orders and GST details directly with the official institution through their official website or contact numbers. Do not share company documents or make payments to unknown accounts without proper verification.
Be cautious of communications from gmail and Yahoo IDs claiming to be from government or defence agencies. Never trust refund assurances in return for upfront payments. Report such frauds immediately on 1930 helpline or www.cybercrime.gov.in. In case of any emergency of cyber frauds please call or WhatsApp 8712665171.
