Kochi pharma firm loses ₹99 lakh in alleged impersonation fraud

A pharmaceutical company based in Kochi has allegedly been duped of ₹99 lakh by an unidentified fraudster who impersonated the chief executive officer of the firm on WhatsApp.The Kochi City Cyber police have registered a case in connection with the incident based on a complaint. The alleged incident took place on October 16.According to the FIR, the accused hacked a mobile phone used by the company’s accounts department and managed to save a phone number as that of the CEO, using the WhatsApp display picture used by him.The fraudster then allegedly communicated with the accounts department staff, posing as the CEO, and convinced a female staffer to transfer the amount to another account. The case has been registered under relevant sections of the IT Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Published - October 22, 2026 01:19 am IST