Pune Auto Parts Company Cyber Fraud

A Pune-based automobile parts manufacturer fell victim to a man-in-the-middle cyber attack, resulting in a loss of ₹2.35 crore. Cybercriminals impersonated executives from an Italian manufacturing firm, using a deceptively similar email address to intercept communications and execute the fraud.

According to the FIR filed by the company's director, the firm was in the process of purchasing a press bending machine priced at €320,000 (approximately ₹3.1 crore). After paying 25% of the cost (around ₹75 lakh) in April and May, the company received an email claiming that the Italian firm's bank account was temporarily non-operational and that payments should be redirected to a different account.

The fraudulent email contained a proforma invoice that closely resembled the original documents, leading the company to unknowingly transfer ₹2.35 crore to the hackers' account in June. It was only after sending payment confirmation to the Italian firm's sales executive that the scam was uncovered.

The Pune cyber crime police have launched an investigation into the case and issued advisories to businesses about the risks of man-in-the-middle attacks, emphasizing the importance of verifying payment details and enhancing email security to prevent

"NPAV recommends home users and organizations to maintain strong, up-to-date cybersecurity measures. Install NPAV on your desktop, laptop, and mobile devices to ensure world-class protection against fraud, malware, and ransomware attacks.

Choose NPAV and be a part of our mission to make the digital world safer for everyone."

Sharing is caring!
Share