The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has issued a warning about a rising cyber fraud known as the “boss scam”, which targets businesses by impersonating senior company executives to trick employees into transferring money or sharing confidential information.
According to officials, scammers pose as company owners, chief executives, or senior managers through emails, messages, or phone calls. They then create a sense of urgency and instruct employees to make immediate financial transactions or disclose sensitive corporate data.
How the scam works
Investigators say fraudsters often research organisations beforehand, gathering information from company websites, social media profiles, and public records. Using this information, they craft convincing messages that appear to come from senior leadership.
Employees may receive requests for urgent payments, confidential documents, banking details, or customer information. In many cases, the scammers pressure victims into acting quickly without verifying the request.
Businesses urged to strengthen verification
The I4C has advised companies to establish robust verification procedures for financial transactions and sensitive communications. Employees are being encouraged to confirm unusual requests through independent channels before taking action.
Cybersecurity experts recommend multi-level approval systems for payments, regular employee awareness training, and the use of advanced email security measures to detect impersonation attempts.
Growing cyber threat
Authorities warn that business impersonation scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated as criminals use advanced technology and social engineering techniques to deceive victims.
The advisory comes amid a broader rise in cyber fraud cases across India, with scammers targeting individuals, businesses, and institutions through various online schemes.
Officials have urged organisations to remain vigilant and report suspicious communications immediately. They emphasised that awareness and verification remain the most effective defences against such attacks.
As digital communication becomes central to business operations, experts believe companies must continuously update their cybersecurity practices to stay ahead of evolving threats.