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‘Impersonating ka tarika thoda kesual hai’: Indian millionaire gets WhatsApp text from scammer pretending to be him
Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma's post about a scammer left people in stitches, prompting them to share varied reactions.
Impersonation scams are nothing new but the one recently faced by Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma had a plot twist. Taking to X, he shared that he received a scam message from someone pretending to be, well, himself. The irony wasn’t lost on the internet, and his post quickly triggered a wave of amused reactions.
“Impersonating myself to me,” Sharma wrote and posted a screenshot. The visual shows someone asking Sharma if he is in the office and introducing themselves as Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Also Read: ‘Maan gaya main aapko’: Scammer praises girl who beats him at his own game. Watch
Take a look at the post:
How did social media react?
The share prompted a flurry of responses on social media. Referencing a famous internet meme, an individual posted, “Impersonating ka tarika thoda kesual hai.” Another added, “Jokes apart, this is a serious concern and many people are fooled by it.”
Also Read: Indian-origin couple escapes on business class flight after $2 million fraud
A third remarked, “Bas itna confidence chahiye.” A fourth commented, “Ask him what cashback you can get on Paytm UPI.” A fifth wrote, “Vijay calling Vijay,” referring to the Bollywood film Karthik Calling Karthik.
How can you protect yourself from a WhatsApp scam?
In a blog post, WhatsApp shared ways to keep oneself safe from getting scammed.
1. The first step is to pause and think. Ask yourscamself if they are rushing you, asking you to trust them, or asking for your PIN and personal details.
2. If their behaviour seems suspicious, stop the conversation. WhatsApp says, “Hang up a call or stop replying to the user. If you can’t verify the contact’s identity, do not share any personal or financial information.”
3. The third step is to block and report the contact trying to scam you. Also, make sure you always keep your privacy and security settings updated.
