Hyderabad: Cybercriminals dupe the CFO of a tea business owned by an Andhra Pradesh MP by impersonating the politician on WhatsApp. The scammers tricked the CFO, Srinivasulu, into transferring ₹92 lakh across 11 transactions, claiming it was an urgent request from the MP.
The MP, who operates his tea venture from Kakinada, was unaware of the fraud until a recent conversation with Srinivasulu exposed the scam. The criminals had used the MP’s photo as a WhatsApp display picture and messaged the CFO pretending to be him.
Cybercriminals dupe CFO by posing as MP
The scammers contacted Srinivasulu repeatedly, stating that the MP needed immediate funds. Believing the messages to be genuine, Srinivasulu transferred money multiple times without verifying their authenticity. Over time, the fraudsters siphoned off ₹92 lakh by exploiting his trust.
The scam came to light during a recent meeting between Srinivasulu and the MP. When Srinivasulu asked whether the earlier transfers had resolved the MP’s need, the latter expressed shock. He clarified that he had not made any such requests, which confirmed the deception.
Following this discovery, Srinivasulu filed a police complaint. Authorities said cybercriminals have been increasingly using apps like WhatsApp and Facebook to target individuals and request money by posing as known contacts. They advised people to avoid sending money based on text messages alone and to confirm requests through phone calls.
Police urged the public to stay cautious and adopt basic verification steps to avoid falling prey to such scams.
