A LOCAL company was tricked into paying 3.9 million yuan (US$600,000) to Internetscammers, but police managed to have the money transfer frozen in time, Shanghai police said yesterday.

The company reported the case to police inPutuoDistrict at 6pm on March 29.

That morning, a new employee in the human resources department, a mansurnamedDu, received an email from someone claiming to be the company’s boss.

Duwas to send him the company’s contact list.

Dudid as he was told.

Minutes later, the “boss” sent another e-mail, asking him to let the company’s chief financial officer, a mansurnamedBai, join a group on QQ, an instant messaging platform.Baialso did as he was told.

In the group withBaiwere the “boss” and his “deputy” who were discussing cooperation with another company.

At 4pm, the two askedBaito pay 3.9 million yuan to that company’s account, claiming that it was a deposit the other company had paid to them earlier.

Baiagain did as he was told, only realizing it was a fraud when he reported the money transfer to a superior later, police said.

The “boss” and his “deputy” in the QQ group werescammers, using an old ruse played against companies.

Police immediately contacted the bank and stopped the money from being paid into thefraudsters’ account and the money was recovered.