Accountant Duped of ₹38.3 Lakh by Fraudster Impersonating Hotel Owner
Man posing as hotel owner texts accountant to transfer Rs 38.3 lakh
Image: The Times Of India
A 31-year-old senior accountant at a hotel in Kalamboli, Navi Mumbai, was cheated out of ₹38.3 lakh by a fraudster posing as the hotel owner. The scam was uncovered when the real owner denied sending a money transfer request.
- 01The fraudster impersonated Himanshu Agrawal, the actual hotel owner, using WhatsApp to communicate with the accountant.
- 02The accountant, Hitesh Dahiwalikar, transferred ₹38.3 lakh to two bank accounts in Punjab and Gujarat based on the fraudulent message.
- 03The scam was discovered when the real owner was present at the hotel and denied sending the transfer request.
- 04Dahiwalikar initially believed the messages were legitimate due to previous communications with Agrawal.
- 05An FIR has been filed against the unidentified fraudster at Kalamboli police station.
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In Navi Mumbai, a senior accountant at a hotel in Kalamboli has reported a cheating incident involving a fraudster who impersonated the hotel owner, Himanshu Agrawal. On June 2, the accountant, Hitesh Dahiwalikar, received a WhatsApp message appearing to be from Agrawal, inquiring about the bank account balance. After confirming a balance of ₹40.2 lakh, Dahiwalikar was instructed to transfer ₹38.3 lakh to two different bank accounts located in Punjab and Gujarat. Trusting the message, as Agrawal had previously communicated in a similar manner, Dahiwalikar complied. However, the scam was uncovered on June 4 when the real Agrawal was present at the hotel and denied sending any such request. This prompted Dahiwalikar to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the unidentified fraudster at the Kalamboli police station, highlighting the risks associated with digital communication and impersonation scams.
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The incident raises awareness about the risks of digital fraud, particularly in business communications.
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