E-Paper
Conmen dupe businessman of ₹45,000 via fake Facebook profile of Bhopal top cop; arrested
Bhopal crime branch Deputy Commissioner of Police Akhil Patel told PTI that police would seek custody of the suspects to further investigate their methods.
Two people were taken into custody on Saturday for allegedly fabricating fake social media profiles of the Bhopal police commissioner and defrauding people, the police said.
The accused have been identified as Shakeel Mohammed and Sunil Prajapat. They reportedly established fraudulent profiles on Facebook, one of them included Bhopal's top cop.
The accused were apprehended in Alwar, Rajasthan, PTI reported quoting an official.
READ | ‘Taunting wife, not allowing her to watch TV cannot be cruelty’, says Bombay high court
Bhopal crime branch Deputy Commissioner of Police Akhil Patel told PTI that police would seek custody of the suspects to further investigate their methods.
According to PTI, the two accused were also wanted by the Karnataka police for similar offences involving the impersonation of a superintendent of police online.
They allegedly curated fake profiles using the name and image of Bhopal Police Commissioner Harinarayanachari Mishra to deceive the public.
Impersonating profiles: What is the scam
The scam was uncovered on November 5 when a 48-year-old businessman reported the incident to the cybercrime cell, claiming he was swindled out of ₹45,000 by someone using a profile showcasing the commissioner in uniform.
The complainant recounted that he received a Facebook message indicating that the police chief was selling his old furniture, prompting him to pay through an online QR code.
READ | UP: NEET aspirant held hostage in flat for six months, allegedly raped by 2 teachers
According to a crime branch release, authorities have recovered four mobile phones, three SIM cards, and ₹5,000 in cash from the accused.
In another incident, two people have complained to the police here that they have collectively lost about ₹95 lakh to cyber fraudsters after they fell prey to fake videos allegedly featuring two top businessmen.
READ | 1 killed, 1 injured in two firing incidents within 10 minutes in Northeast Delhi
In both cases, the complainants didn't check the authenticity of the alleged videos and ended up clicking some suspicious links which led them to fake websites created by fraudsters to cheat people and make money on promises of giving them higher returns, they said on Monday.
