Frauds impersonate dean of BKC Covid centre, seek money

Dr Dere, who is also a professor and head of department of forensic medicine at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital and Medical College, Sion, got several calls from his acquaintances about the fake account and the emergency for which money sought by the frauds from them

Mumbai: Dr Rajesh Dere the dean of BKC Dedicated Covid Jumbo Hospital has approached the police saying that some unidentified persons have created a fake account on social media in his name and are demanding money from the people in his contact by citing frivolous reasons.

The Cyber police said several people these days are falling for such kind of frauds, and one should be alert and not pay money in haste, merely based on messages and without speaking to the person (Facebook)

Dr Dere, who is also a professor and head of department of forensic medicine at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital and Medical College, Sion, got several calls from his acquaintances about the fake account and the emergency for which money sought by the frauds from them.

“After some people told me about it, I decided to immediately report the matter to the police and accordingly informed about it the to the Cyber police in Bandra Kurla Complex. Though I am not very active on social media, I also put up a message on my social media accounts, warning people in my contact, about the fake account and the attempts made by the frauds to extract money from unsuspecting people,” Dr Dere said.

He said the frauds were demanding small amounts giving superficial reasons and it seems some people in my contact have fallen for their tricks.

The Cyber police said several people these days are falling for such kind of frauds, and one should be alert and not pay money in haste, merely based on messages and without speaking to the person concerned.

Last month, some unidentified frauds tried to impersonate Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar on WhatsApp by using his photograph in uniform and sought money from some of the people in his contact list.

Earlier in May some online cheats had created a fake account of Tata Memorial Centre’s director Dr Rajendra Badwe by giving them fake appointments in lieu of “fees.”

Apart from the police commissioner, the frauds also tried to use name and photograph of joint commissioner, Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Pravin Padwal and try dupe people in his contact. The scamsters had put his picture in uniform and were demanding money or Amazon Gift Cards from his contacts, said the police.