Fraudsters posing as bosses are using WhatsApp to trick Assam employees into transferring lakhs
A WhatsApp message arrives on a busy weekday afternoon, appearing to come from an employer or senior official. It carries the person’s name, display picture and a formal tone, along with an urgent request for an immediate RTGS transfer to clear a vendor invoice or settle a crucial corporate transaction.
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With little time to hesitate or double-check, an employee, expecting a routine directive, carries out the transaction. Within minutes, lakhs of rupees can be transferred to a fraudster’s account.
This is the modus operandi of the “Boss Scam”, a sophisticated social engineering scheme that is gaining ground across the country, with Assam being no exception.
Unlike traditional mass-phishing scams, the Boss Scam relies on targeted deception. Fraudsters gain unauthorised access to WhatsApp Web accounts and use them to impersonate senior officials or business owners.
In such cases, an accused gains control of another person's WhatsApp Web account, changes its bio to resemble that of the person's boss and then starts messaging employees, particularly financial officers, instructing them to carry out transactions.
Recently, a fraudster allegedly posed as a Guwahati business owner and used his name and WhatsApp profile picture to trick an employee into transferring ₹10 lakh through RTGS, officials said.
The incident was reported through the cybercrime helpline 1930, following which the Assam Police Cyber Crime Branch initiated action to trace the transaction.
According to sources in the CID, the fraudster contacted the manager of a Guwahati-based distribution company through WhatsApp and allegedly posed as the owner of the business. The accused then instructed the manager to transfer ₹10 lakh to a specified bank account.
Believing the message to be genuine, the manager carried out the transaction, resulting in a financial loss of ₹10 lakh.
Following the complaint, coordinated efforts by the 1930 cybercrime helpline and the Assam Police helped trace the transferred amount. The entire ₹10 lakh was subsequently put on hold, officials said.
The incident highlights the growing use of “boss scams”, in which fraudsters impersonate business owners or senior officials and use messaging platforms to instruct employees to make financial transactions.
The Cyber Crime Branch has advised business owners and employees to independently verify any financial instruction received through WhatsApp or other messaging platforms before transferring money. People have also been urged to confirm the identity of the person issuing the instruction through a direct phone call or another trusted communication channel.
Earlier this week, in another Boss Scam incident, Dibrugarh Police arrested two people from Kerala’s Malappuram district in connection with a WhatsApp impersonation fraud involving around ₹50 lakh.
The arrests were made during an investigation into Dibrugarh Police Station Case No. 268/2026, registered in August. A team from Dibrugarh Police conducted coordinated searches at multiple locations in Kerala with assistance from the Kerala Police.
The arrested accused have been identified as Suhail Paloli and Asarudheen P, both residents of Kerala.
Police said the fraud took place on August 10, targeting a businessman from the tea industry. A formal complaint was lodged on August 11.
“This fraud case was almost on the lines of a boss scam,” a police official from Dibrugarh said.
Investigators are now tracking the financial trail to determine how the money was routed through different bank accounts and identify others who may have been involved.
A police source said only ₹1.35 lakh of the total ₹50 lakh defrauded could be recovered so far. The source said the financial trail was complex and tracing all the layers had proved difficult.
Police arrested the accused in Kerala and brought them to Assam for interrogation and further investigation.
Cybercrime trends are generally similar across the country, although some trends appear first in certain areas or states before eventually reaching Assam.
Scammers often create a sense of urgency and pressure people into following instructions without verifying the information.
The dedicated cybercrime helpline 1930 aims to provide immediate assistance to victims of online financial fraud by facilitating prompt reporting and, where possible, freezing fraudulent transactions.
Cybercrime victims should report fraud during the golden hour, as timely reporting increases the chances of getting the money frozen or recovered.
According to the modus operandi followed by fraudsters, stolen money is generally transferred to mule accounts for temporary parking.
If victims do not report the fraud immediately, the money can be transferred through multiple layers of accounts.
Law enforcement agencies have seen instances where money was transferred through as many as eight or nine layers within one or two hours.
Once the money is withdrawn from banks through cheques or ATMs, it becomes considerably more difficult to track or trace all the layers.
This makes immediate reporting particularly important for victims.
If your ‘boss’ suddenly asks you to transfer money, do not rely only on WhatsApp. Call the person directly using a number you already trust, verify the bank details and ensure that the instruction is genuine before making the transfer. Never let urgency replace verification.