In a significant breakthrough against corporate fraud, the Cyber Cell of Uttar Pradesh Police in Azamgarh has arrested a man accused of running an elaborate impersonation scam — posing as a senior executive of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to defraud business owners and vendors across multiple states. Investigators estimate the operation siphoned off around ₹15.50 lakh from victims, with more than 13 formal complaints already registered against him in different police jurisdictions.
Who Got Caught
Police identified the accused as Pankaj Singh, a resident of Sarai Vrindavan village under Tarwa police station in Azamgarh. During questioning, Singh reportedly admitted to running this kind of cyber fraud for the past five to six years. Investigators say he deliberately used L&T's reputation and brand trust as a shortcut to win over commercial vendors before scamming them.
How He Pulled It Off
Singh's method was methodical, to say the least. He'd pull business contact details of traders dealing in construction equipment, heavy machinery, and industrial supplies straight off Justdial. Then, posing as a procurement official from L&T's Navi Mumbai operations, he'd reach out and dangle attractive commercial contracts, big purchase orders, and exclusive supply partnerships in front of vendors.
Once he had them convinced through a few phone calls, he'd move to WhatsApp, sending across forged contract agreements, fake payment approval letters, and fabricated credit authorisation documents — all designed to look genuinely corporate. After vendors believed a real order was on the way, Singh would ask them to pay "processing fees," administrative charges, or refundable security deposits into accounts he controlled. Trusting the whole setup, several business owners transferred substantial amounts before realising none of it was real.
Following the Money
The Azamgarh Cyber Cell is now going through a large volume of digital evidence seized during the arrest — mobile phones, SIM cards, secondary bank account records, and call detail records. Forensic financial investigators are tracing the money trail to figure out how many other accounts were used to launder the proceeds, and just how big this multi-year operation actually was. This kind of detailed money trail reconstruction is exactly why maintaining transparent, well-organised bookkeeping services in India matters so much for businesses — accurate financial records make it far easier to identify irregular vendor payments and unusual transaction patterns before they spiral into losses. Police are also checking digital signatures and network logs to see whether Singh worked alone or was part of a larger organised network.
Authorities say Singh has an extensive criminal record spanning multiple jurisdictions. He's now been remanded to judicial custody, and police say additional charges under the BNS and IT Act will follow as more digital and financial evidence is verified. Anyone found to have helped him — including account holders who may have knowingly assisted — will also face legal action.
Advice for Businesses: Verify Before You Pay
Commenting on the case, cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh pointed out that fraudsters are increasingly exploiting trusted corporate names to get past the usual caution vendors would apply. His advice is simple but crucial: always verify unsolicited procurement offers or high-value contracts directly with the company's official headquarters, using published and verified contact details — never the number or email given in the unsolicited message itself.
Security experts also recommend that businesses stick to verified corporate domain emails and official portals for communication, and stay extra cautious whenever someone asks for advance fees over chat platforms like WhatsApp. Given how common these commercial fraud cases are becoming, authorities are urging business owners to report any suspicious procurement proposals immediately through the National Cyber Helpline (1930) or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
FAQs
Q1. How did the accused impersonate L&T to defraud vendors?
He posed as a procurement official from L&T's Navi Mumbai office, sent forged contracts and payment documents via WhatsApp, and asked vendors to pay upfront fees for fake purchase orders.
Q2. How much money was allegedly defrauded in this scam?
Investigators estimate around ₹15.50 lakh was siphoned off, with more than 13 formal complaints filed against the accused across various regions.
Q3. What precautions should businesses take against similar corporate impersonation scams?
Businesses should independently verify any procurement offer directly through a company's official headquarters and published contact channels, rather than trusting numbers or emails shared in unsolicited messages