Unidentified person impersonates Mumbai top cop, sends message to defraud

Deputy police commissioner Sanjay Latkar said some fraudster is sending the message and that action is being taken

An unidentified person impersonated Mumbai Police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and sent a message to senior police officers and others to defraud them using his photo as a WhatsApp display picture and name on the TrueCaller identification app.

Police said action is being taken. (Shutterstock)

The Mumbai Police on Friday shared the message and appealed against falling for it. Deputy police commissioner Sanjay Latkar said some fraudster is sending the message. “Legal action is being taken,” said Latkar.

Cyber frauds have earlier similarly used the names and photographs of the Bombay high court chief justice, income tax, and Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company officials and tried to dupe people.

In Phansalkar’s case, the impersonator in his message said there was something he needed. “...please do for me urgently as I am currently attending a very crucial meeting with limited phone calls?”

The impersonator asked how quickly can gift cards be arranged that he needed to send out in less than an hour. “I would provide you with the type of gift cards and the amount of each. I will reimburse you before the end of the day.”