Crooks hack email, dupe Gurugram firm into sending ₹1.74 crore

An Udyog Vihar-based food solutions company was duped of ₹1.74 crore after the email of one of its suppliers was allegedly hacked. Using this email ID, the suspect allegedly asked the firm to change the bank account number for sending payment against supply made, police said on Tuesday.

Police said the incident took place on January 25, when the complainant received an email with the supplier’s letterhead attached.

The complaint filed by an employee of the legal department of the company stated that the email ID hacked by the suspect was the one the firm used for regular communication with the supplier. Hence, assuming this email to be authentic, they changed the bank account details in its books, added the account mentioned in the letterhead as a beneficiary for payment to be made to the supplier.

“The company then transferred 1,98,505.6 Euros ( ₹1.74crore as per a pre-determined exchange rate between the company and the supplier) in two transactions. On February 26, the company received another email from its supplier stating it was yet to receive the payment. The company forwarded the payment advice to the supplier, who informed that they had not sent any email on January 25,” the complaint stated.

The complaint was lodged on February 28, but a case was registered on Monday. ACP (cyber crime) Karan Goyal said the matter was being investigated.