In a disturbing trend, cyber fraudsters have begun targeting the general public, colleagues, and relatives of several district collectors in Madhya Pradesh by impersonating the officials on social media platforms. Over the past three days, six district collectors, including one female IAS officer, have found their identities misused by unidentified criminals in an attempt to extort money.
The collectors targeted in this scheme include Dipak Saxena (Jabalpur), Priyank Mishra (Dhar), Sanskriti Jain (Seoni), Ravindra Choudhary (Shivpuri), Tarun Bhatnagar (Shahdol), and Dharnendra Kumar Jain (Umaria). The fraudsters have created fake social media accounts, particularly on Facebook, or WhatsApp accounts using the collectors’ pictures as display photos. These fake accounts have been used to send distress messages, typically seeking urgent financial assistance, to colleagues, subordinates, and relatives of the collectors.
The seriousness of the situation was underscored when one of Dipak Saxena’s relatives fell victim to the scam, transferring Rs 25,000 after receiving a message from a WhatsApp account posing as the Jabalpur district collector. The account, which featured Saxena’s picture as the display photo, was assumed to be legitimate by the relative.
Additionally, the Facebook account of Dipak Saxena was recently hacked, further exacerbating the issue. In response to these incidents, the affected district administrations have issued public advisories through social media, warning citizens to be vigilant and cautious of such fraudulent activities.
Law enforcement agencies in the concerned districts have launched investigations into these cases. A senior police officer from one of the districts confirmed that all angles, including the possibility of a coordinated cybercrime ring operating from regions notorious for such activities, are being explored.
This alarming development has put a spotlight on the growing menace of cybercrime in India, particularly the tactics employed by fraudsters to exploit the trust and authority associated with high-ranking officials.
The public is advised to remain cautious and verify any distress messages received from unfamiliar numbers or social media accounts, even if they appear to be from known individuals. The authorities continue to work on tracking down the culprits and preventing further incidents of this nature.
