Cyber fraudsters posing as ACB officials target Telangana officers

The recent extortion attempt involving a Revenue Inspector in Cheriyal has raised concerns that cyber fraudsters are exploiting ACB raids to target government officials. Sources say officials allegedly involved in corruption are reluctant to report such threats, fearing further scrutiny.

Siddipet: Has the recent ACB raids on officials provided an opportunity for extortionists and cyber fraudsters to threaten officials for money? The extortion attempt targeting Revenue Inspector Talari Ialaiah in Cheriyal suggests so. Corrupt officials were not only under the scanner of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths, but were also being closely tracked by cyber criminals and extortionists.

The Cheriyal incident has also indicated that extortionists and cyber criminals have been tracking the activities of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials in the State.

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As cyber criminals, posing as ACB officials, allegedly demanded Rs. 1 lakh from Ialaiah after Cheriyal Tehsildar Dileep Nayak was trapped by the ACB, it sparked a discussion among officials. This is not an isolated case. An MRO in the Patancheru area had also fallen prey to such extortionists a few years ago.

Officials and other government staff have also been targeted repeatedly, but many have not come forward to lodge complaints to avoid attracting the attention of the ACB and the public. In particular, officials who had allegedly earned illegal income in departments such as revenue, police, land records, municipality, Transco and a few other departments were being targeted by these extortionists.

A source in the Cyber Crime Department told Telangana Today that many officers would not come forward as they had allegedly earned illegal money. In the wake of increased ACB raids, the Cheriyal incident indicated that extortionists and cyber criminals were focusing on the raids and the officers allegedly involved in corrupt activities. There was also a possibility that cyber criminals could target the close associates of officers trapped by the ACB.