MUMBAI: A reputed Parsi businessman has become the unlikely face of a birthday scam, after cybercriminals impersonated him to dupe fellow members of the Parsi community into donating money to a fake charity. The audacious fraud, disguised as an invitation to his 80th birthday celebration, has triggered a police probe into an elaborate email con.
Captain Percy Meher Master, a respected maritime entrepreneur and global president of the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC), was horrified to discover that his name and photo had been misused in mass emails soliciting donations from prominent Parsi industrialists across the city.
According to the police, the scammers crafted an emotional appeal: the email claimed Captain Master was hosting a grand 80th birthday bash in Cuffe Parade and, instead of gifts, urged guests to donate to the poor. It included a touching family photograph and even bank account details—supposedly of a needy woman named Sharmiladevi—where the “birthday donations” could be sent.
The con came to light on April 20, when Roshan Revetina, a member of WZCC, called Captain Master to confirm the event. She had received the birthday email four days earlier, followed by a second message requesting that instead of gifts, she deposit money into Sharmiladevi’s account to support her family’s medical needs. A shocked Master denied sending any such communication.
Soon, more businessmen from the elite World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce circle reported receiving identical emails. With the community on high alert, an official complaint was filed by Shreekant Dharpawar, 46, an employee at Master’s company, Master Marine Services Pvt. Ltd, based in Lower Parel.
“This was a well-planned identity theft meant to exploit the goodwill Captain Master enjoys,” said an officer from N M Joshi Marg police station. “The email looked convincing—it even used his official email ID and family photo.”
A case has been registered under section 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and section 66(c) (identity theft) of the Information Technology Act. Investigators suspect the scam may have originated from outside Mumbai, given the sophistication of the phishing attempt.
While no money appears to have been transferred so far, police are reaching out to WZCC members to prevent further losses and are tracing the IP addresses from which the emails were sent.
“We urge people to be cautious. Even trusted names can be misused in today’s digital age,” said the officer.