Major Cyber Fraud in Chandigarh: Businessman duped of Rs 1.96 crore by impersonating Company MD on WhatsApp
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, April 18, 2026: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a businessman from Manimajra in Chandigarh has been cheated out of nearly ₹1.96 crore by scammers who impersonated the Managing Director of his company on WhatsApp.
According to officials, the fraudsters created a fake WhatsApp profile using the display picture of the company’s Managing Director, Ranjan Jain. Using this impersonated identity, they contacted the company’s accountant, Neha, and sent urgent messages requesting immediate fund transfers for alleged official work.
Believing the messages to be genuine instructions from the MD, the accountant transferred ₹1.96 crore to a private bank account provided by the scammers.
The fraud came to light when the accountant later verified the transaction with the real Managing Director, who confirmed that he had neither sent any such messages nor requested any payment. Realising they had been deceived, the company immediately reported the matter, causing panic within the organisation.
Following the complaint filed by the businessman, the Chandigarh Cyber Cell has registered a case and initiated an investigation. Police are currently tracing the bank account details where the money was transferred and examining digital footprints to identify the accused.
Officials stated that efforts are underway to track down the culprits involved in the sophisticated impersonation scam.