Hyderabad: 2004 batch senior IAS officer Dr. TK Sreedevi, the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration (CDMA) in Telangana, has become the target of an impersonation scam involving fraudsters using her photo as a WhatsApp display picture to solicit money from unsuspecting individuals.
The fraud came to light when officials in the CDMA office received multiple screenshots of suspicious WhatsApp messages being sent to various contacts. The messages, which falsely claimed to be from Dr. Sreedevi, requested monetary transfers under false pretenses.
Based on a complaint filed by P Sridhar, Joint Director at the office of the Commissioner & Director of Municipal Administration, the Cyber Crime Wing of Hyderabad Police registered a case. The complaint outlined how the scammers used Dr. Sreedevi’s photo to impersonate her and deceive individuals into sending money.
In response to the situation, Dr. Sreedevi’s office submitted the screenshots of the fraudulent messages and other related materials to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime Wing, Basheerbagh. The department has called for swift action to trace the source of the fraudulent WhatsApp number (+94723718460), identify the perpetrators, and initiate legal proceedings against them.
Cyber Crime officials have launched an investigation into the matter and are currently examining digital evidence to track down the fraudsters. The authorities have urged the public to be cautious of such scams and report any suspicious activities immediately.
