Together India and Puerto Rico have lost millions in an email phishing scam. A senior Puerto Rico official said last month that the island’s government lost more than $2.6 million after falling for an email phishing scam. Similarly, in a hushed incident last year, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation has filed FIR against Pawan Hans Ltd Officials for fraudulent payment to Indonesian Bank account in the Pawan Hans – Klimov scam.
Puerto Rico govt loses $2.6M in phishing scam
Puerto Rico’s government has lost more than $2.6 million after falling for an email phishing scam, according to a senior official reported ABC News.
The finance director of the island’s Industrial Development Company, Rubén Rivera, said in a complaint filed to police that the agency sent the money to a fraudulent account. Rivera said the government agency transferred the money on Jan. 17 after receiving an email that alleged a change to a banking account tied to remittance payments, according to a police statement.
India loses Rs 1.85 crore in Pawan Hans – Klimov Scam
In an identical incident the Indian government has lost Rs 1.85 crore in an almost similar fashion in the Pawan Hans – Klimov Scam. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against officials of state-run Pawan Hans Ltd, and ‘unknown others’ based on the complaint from the CVC for paying around Rs 1.85 crore to a forged bank account in Indonesia instead of a Russian firm for repair of Mi-172 helicopter engines in 2016.
Pawan Hans Ltd had signed a contract with Russia-based Klimov JSC for overhaul of three TV 311 VM engines for Mi-172 helicopters on May 20, 2015 for around Rs 9 crore.
CBI has filed FIR against Pawan Hans Ltd Officials for fraudulent payment to Indonesian Bank account in the Pawan Hans – Klimov scam. Investigation by Russian law enforcement agencies had found that the said bank account in the Indonesian bank belong to a person named Bagus Setiawan and not Klimov.
As per the contract, Pawan Hans Ltd was to pay 30 per cent as advance payment and the Russian firm had sent the invoice totalling Rs 1.85 crore as advance payment with bank details of JP Chase Morgan Bank, New York on June 19, 2015.
On December 9, 2016, Klimov, through the Russian Interior Ministry, told the Indian government that they would resort to arbitration proceedings against Pawan Hans to recover its dues.
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