Pune : Vimannagar Engineering Firm Duped of Rs 73 Lakh in International Email Spoofing Fraud
Pune, 24th April 2026: A Viman Nagar-based engineering products manufacturer has allegedly been cheated of over Rs 73 lakh in an international email spoofing fraud after cyber criminals impersonated a foreign business associate and diverted payment meant for a machinery purchase.
The complaint was registered with Pune Cyber Police on Wednesday after the company realised that the payment had been transferred to fraudsters instead of the genuine supplier.
According to police, the firm had been in touch with its Germany-based associate for the purchase of a carton box packing machine. The transaction discussions were being carried out through email correspondence.
Police suspect that cyber criminals gained unauthorised access to either the complainant company’s email account or that of the German associate, allowing them to monitor communications and obtain details of the proposed deal.
Using the stolen information, the accused allegedly created a fake company identity and sent forged emails containing a quotation for the machine. The price mentioned was USD 86,747, equivalent to around Rs 73.18 lakh at the exchange rate prevailing at the time.
Believing the communication to be genuine, the Pune-based company transferred the amount to the bank account specified in the email. Police said the account was based in Chicago, United States.
The fraud came to light when the machinery was not delivered despite payment. Repeated attempts by the company to contact the supposed supplier failed, after which it discovered that the entity was bogus.
Cyber police have registered a case and begun an investigation to trace the money trail, identify the accused and determine whether an email account had been hacked during the fraud. Officials have also urged companies engaged in overseas transactions to verify any change in banking details through independent channels before making payments.
