A person impersonating as deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik tried to dupe two Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) staffers by sending them links on WhatsApp and asking them to click on them. When the staffers cross checked, they found that the number did not belong to Malik.
They brought the matter to the knowledge of the DC, who lodged a complaint with police commissioner Kaustubh Sharma on Thursday. Sharma marked the probe to the cyber cell, after which an FIR was lodged.
According to the FIR, an LIT junior engineer and sub-divisional officer received Whatsapp messages with a link from a number which had the display picture of Malik, who is also the chairperson of LIT.
According to the staffers, the person claimed to be the DC over messages and said that the links were for an Amazon Gift Card. However, they found it fishy and did not click on it. They brought this it to the knowledge of the DC, who told them that she had not sent any such message.
The LIT staffers stated that fraudsters send the links to steal information from people and withdraw money from their bank accounts.
{{/usCountry}}The LIT staffers stated that fraudsters send the links to steal information from people and withdraw money from their bank accounts.
{{/usCountry}}Inspector Gaganpreet Singh, station house office at Division Number 5 police station, said that an FIR has been lodged under Sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (punishment for cheating) and 511 (punishment for attempt to commit an offence) of Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act against unidentified accused. Police are attempting to identify the accused.
In a similar case, the Division number 5 police had arrested an advocate for threatening revenue officers on phone to do some land registries while posing as an officer on special duty (OSD) to chief minister Bhagwant Mann on May 2.