Cyber impersonators dupe officials’ contacts in Hyderabad

Cyber impersonators are increasingly targeting senior officials in Hyderabad, including police commissioners, IAS and IPS officers. Fraudsters have been sending messages using officials’ display pictures and demanding small amounts of money under the guise of emergencies.

Hyderabad: Cyber impersonators are not sparing the top level officials of the State. Be it police officials, judicial officers or bureaucrats, the fraudsters are victimising all.

Consider the case of Hyderabad Commissioner of Police, VC Sajjanar, who ended up being victimised by the cyber impersonators a couple of days. The cyber crooks sent messages to the contacts of the Hyderabad Police Commissioner asking them to transfer some amount for emergency purposes. One of the friends of the official had fell prey and sent Rs 20,000 to the fraudster.

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In July, the cyber fraudsters used the display picture of senior IAS officer, Dr. G Srijana, and demanded money from her contacts including officials. The cyber fraudsters used a Nepal phone number to send messages.

“After reading the word ‘emergency’, people first transfer the money and later check only to realize they were duped. Usually fraudsters ask for a small amount of money to avoid suspicion,” said the official.

In June, the Hyderabad police arrested a man from Rajasthan for impersonating senior IAS officer Naveen Mithal, and tricking one of the officer’s friends into transferring Rs 99,000. On further investigation the police learned the suspect Arbaz, had cheated many people by impersonating various IAS and IPS officers.

“Several cases go unreported in the city. People generally share a message in the friends’ groups alerting them about the scam and go ahead with their routine. Only when someone transfers huge amounts of money and losses are high, they approach the police,” said an official of the cybercrime police station.

The police officials advise that if anyone is asking to send money, individuals should verify by making a direct call before transferring the money.