Quick Action During Golden Hour: Bengaluru Police Recover Rs 2.16 Crore From Fraudsters' Account
Nigeria-based fraudsters had opened a fake email account in the name of Group Pharma in February last year, contacted Reddy's Laboratories.
Published : January 20, 2026 at 7:31 PM IST
Bengaluru: The Cyber Crime Police of CCB have succeeded in recovering Rs 2.16 crores, which was stolen through email spoofing, and returning it to the beneficiaries. The money was recovered in a swift operation during the golden hour, making it the highest recovery in the country, police said..
A company named Group Pharma had a business relationship with Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company Reddy's Laboratories. Fraudsters, who were based in Nigeria and had opened a fake email account in the name of Group Pharma in February last year, contacted Reddy's Laboratories. Believing that the email might have come from a genuine email ID, Reddy's Laboratories paid Rs 2.16 crore to the account suggested by the fraudsters. However, it was later revealed that the money had been deposited in a fake bank account.
Immediately, within the golden hour period, the representatives of Group Pharma filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime Station of the CCB. The police, who were alerted immediately, were able to freeze the Gujarat-based bank account where the money was paid. Later, the legal process was completed in the court and the entire amount of Rs 2.16 crore was returned, the police said.
Importance of Golden Hour
Cyber fraudsters steal money through SMS or calls under the guise of digital arrest, gift offer, credit card password change, KYC update. In such cases, the one-hour period after being cheated is called 'Golden Hour'.
By calling the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and providing information during the golden hour or filing a complaint with the police station, there is a high chance of locating the account or wallet from which the money was transferred within a few minutes based on that information and freezing the money in it. And the investigative agencies will be able to quickly locate and freeze the fraudster's account.
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