A scamster has created a fake WhatsApp account in the name of Cuttack district Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani and sent messages to several users seeking financial help. The account was created by using the mobile phone number 7696918151.
The Collector filed a complaint with Cuttack DCP alleging that some miscreants have created the fake WhatsApp account in his name by using his profile photo, which they have downloaded from the internet, and sought money from several people.
The Collector has appealed to people in a tweet not to respond to it. “Someone is communicating from WhatsApp Id with Mob No. 7696918151 portraying himself as Bhabani Shankar Chayani, Collector, Cuttack. This is a Fake Id. Kindly ignore the communication.” Chayani tweeted.
The Cyber police have registered a case and launched a probe into the incident. Earlier, fraudsters had indulged in similar activity by posing as top politicians and senior Government to fleece money from unsuspecting users.
Notably, the Odisha Police has arrested three people in the state for their alleged links with cyber criminals who created the fake WhatsApp identity of the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
The trio had sold pre-activated SIM cards to the gang and one of it was used to create the fake WhatsApp account by using Birla's picture available in the public domain.
