E-Paper
Cyber frauds on prowl with fake FB accounts of top cops, ministers Latest victim is Saran DIG Manu Maharaaj
PATNA Cyber frauds have started targeting top police officers, officials, ministers and even judges, creating their fake Facebook (FB) profiles and using their pictures to ask their contacts for money
PATNA
Cyber frauds have started targeting top police officers, officials, ministers and even judges, creating their fake Facebook (FB) profiles and using their pictures to ask their contacts for money.
And in most of the cases, the fraudsters would use the current Covid-19 pandemic plea, making claims of financial crisis and sharing links of e-wallets for transfer of money.
The latest to fall victim to this is deputy inspector general (DIG) of Saran range, Manu Maharaaj. A man created fake Facebook account and started sending obscene messages to girls and demanding money from them.
The DIG was shocked when the girls concerned called him to complain
“I immediately checked the cellphone number provided by the girls on the Truecaller app. The man was traced with the help of cyber cell. He has been identified as Manu Kumar Yadav alias Manu Maharaaj from Garkha in Saran. On May 20, an FIR was also lodged with the Town police station in this connection,” the DIG said.
During interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime and told the police that he created the fake profile on Facebook in January and saved a number in Truecaller app as Manu Maharaaj to cheat people and girls.
Saran DIG is not the lone police officer to have fallen victim to fraudsters. At least three other police officers, including additional director general (ADG) Jitendra Kumar, have faced similar problems.
In a message posted on his FB account, Kumar said, “Dear Friends, It seems somebody has made a duplicate FB ID in my name with same profile picture. Therefore, any message, friend request or any demand of money etc. must not be entertained & be ignored.”
In a similar FB post, ADG (security) Bachchu Singh Meena said, “Someone has created my fake FB and sending friend requests. Please do not respond to another ID. Must take utmost care in Pandemic.”
Earlier, cyber criminals allegedly made an FB account in the name of minister for cooperative Subhash Singh and demanded money from his supporters. The incident came to light when one Nilesh Kumar Mishra, a resident of Tiwari Mathania village of Gopalganj district, was asked to pay ₹50,000. “We received a complaint in this regard and the case has been transferred to the cyber cell for investigation,” said Gopalganj SP Anand Kumar.
Similarly, minor water resources and irrigation minister Santosh Kumar Suman said that he got to know of a fake FB account in his name soon after receiving a call from his friend who stated that there was request made for ₹26,000 through that social media account.
In a message posted on his account, Suman said, “A fake account with same photo and details created... all be careful... because someone may start requesting to transfer some money... all be alert on such requests.”
Director general (training) and managing director of Bihar Police Building Construction Corporation, Alok Raj, has thrice fallen victim to such cyber crimes.
Fake accounts have also been created in the names of principal secretary (education) Sanjay Kumar, primary education director Ranjit Kumar Singh, Banka DM Suharsh Bhagat, former Munger DM Rajesh Meena, Lakhisarai SP Sunil Kumar, former DGP Gupteshwar Pandey and others.
“Public are advised to not fall prey to such frauds and exercise caution while accepting any request from government officers, especially those who are already in your friends’ list. Privacy controls provided by social media sites may be used to avoid any misuse of information,” said N H Khan, additional director general (economic offences unit) of the Bihar Police.
