In short
A targeted message impersonates a senior executive or targets senior personnel with an urgent financial request The objective is typically to exploit executive authority to divert money or sensitive data.
What it is
The sender uses authority and confidentiality to discourage normal verification. The victim is then pushed to make an urgent transfer, buy something, release data or change a payment outside standard controls.
How it starts
A targeted message impersonates a senior executive or targets senior personnel with an urgent financial request.
What they tell you
The sender uses authority and confidentiality to discourage normal verification
What they want you to do
Make an urgent transfer, buy something, release data or change a payment outside standard controls
How you lose money
exploit executive authority to divert money or sensitive data
What happens next
After the first successful step, the fraudster may demand more money/information, deepen account or device access, or disappear.
Warning signs
authority | urgency | secrecy | trust | whaling | email spoofing | social engineering
Where this is documented
India — officially documented by an Indian authority/regulator
How to avoid it
Verify payment-detail changes and executive requests through a second trusted channel; use MFA and domain/email controls; pause unusual urgent transfers.
If it already happened
Contact the bank/payment provider immediately if money moved; report financial cyber fraud promptly via 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in; preserve messages, transaction IDs, phone numbers and URLs. Alert finance/security teams and the receiving bank immediately, and preserve email headers and approval records.