Jaipur, August 2026 : Rajasthan Police’s Cyber Crime Branch has issued an advisory warning citizens, particularly managers, accountants and other employees working in companies, against a growing cyber fraud known as the “Boss Scam.” The scam involves criminals impersonating company bosses, senior officials or business partners and sending urgent messages through WhatsApp, email or SMS to pressure employees into transferring money, purchasing gift cards, sharing data or disclosing confidential information.
The advisory was issued under the directions of Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar Sharma. Additional Director General of Police, Cyber Crime, V.K. Singh, said cybercriminals first collect information about a company, its senior executives, email patterns, contacts and social media profiles. They then use the identity of a senior official to approach employees. By using genuine names, designations, projects and other real information, scammers create the impression that the communication is authentic.
Malware can be used to gain access to WhatsApp
ADG Singh said cybercriminals may also attempt to obtain information from office laptops or desktops by installing Trojan horse malware. If a computer is linked to WhatsApp, criminals may hijack the QR code or linked session, place their own photograph on WhatsApp and send messages to employees impersonating their boss, asking them to transfer money.
The fraudsters may subsequently demand immediate payments, gift-card purchases, data transfers or confidential information. Money obtained through such fraud can then be routed through mule accounts, cryptocurrency transactions or cash withdrawals.
Warning signs of a Boss Scam
Rajasthan Police has highlighted several indicators that can help employees identify such scams:
- A sudden or minor change in the sender’s email address.
- Unusual contact outside normal office hours.
- Pressure to carry out highly urgent or confidential transactions.
- Instructions to immediately transfer money to a new or unknown bank account.
- Avoidance of phone or video calls.
- Unusual language or serious grammatical errors.
- Unexpected financial instructions received through WhatsApp, email or phone calls.
One verification call can prevent major losses
Police advised employees to independently verify every financial or data-related request by contacting the concerned person through their official phone number. Payments should never be made solely on the basis of instructions received through WhatsApp or email.
Employees should also carefully examine the complete email address and domain name rather than relying only on the displayed sender name. Companies have been advised to introduce multi-level approval systems for high-value or unusual payments and ensure that only authorised payment procedures and official communication channels are used.
Secure WhatsApp and office systems
Rajasthan Police has urged employees to log out of unnecessary WhatsApp Web and linked-device sessions, keep operating systems, antivirus programs and security software updated, and enable two-factor verification on WhatsApp.
Report cyber fraud immediately on 1930
The police have appealed to citizens to immediately report any cyber scam or attempted fraud to the nearest police station, cyber police station or the cybercrime reporting portal. In cases of financial cyber fraud, victims should immediately contact the national cybercrime helpline 1930. Information can also be provided through the cyber helpdesk numbers 9256001930 and 9257510100.
