Visa services firm loses Rs 70 lakh to e-mail spoofer

The head of a visa services company lost about Rs 70 lakh after responding to a fraudulent e-mail that appeared to have come from an Israeli law firm, one of their service providers.

Rohan Kamath, 48, Managing Director, Expat Immigration Services Pvt Ltd, transferred €80,000 to a bank account mentioned in the fraudulent e-mail. The money was meant to be paid to Tel Aviv-based Dardik Gross Law Firm, which advises Expat Immigration on legal matters. Expat Immigration provides visa services to Indians living abroad and makes online payments to the law firm.

On July 15, Kamath received an e-mail requesting a payment of €80,000. The e-mail ID resembled the law firm’s official account. Expat Immigration owed the firm Rs 85 lakh towards service charges. Just two before earlier, the law firm had sent an e-mail, requesting a payment of €80,000.

So Kamath didn’t suspect anything and transferred the money to a bank account mentioned in the e-mail on July 24. He also communicated the same to the bank.

Clearly, online fraudsters got the better of him. The Israeli firm’s e-mail ID is [e-mail] but the July 15 e-mail had come from [e-mail].

Kamath filed a complaint with CEN Crime police on Monday. A case was
registered.