In a brazen case of digital impersonation, cyber fraudsters have set their sights on high-ranking bureaucrats in Belagavi, Karnataka. The incident, which came to light on Friday, involved scammers creating a fake WhatsApp account in the name of the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) commissioner to extort money from his deputy.
The Elaborate WhatsApp Impersonation
The scam unfolded on Friday afternoon when BCC Deputy Commissioner Uday Kumar Talawar received a message on WhatsApp. The sender's profile displayed the photo of BCC Commissioner Kartik M., creating a convincing facade. The message contained an urgent demand for Rs 50,000 to be transferred to a specified bank account.
To add credibility and pressure, the message stated, "I am in a meeting, please deposit the money and send a screenshot." This tactic is commonly used by fraudsters to prevent immediate voice verification and create a sense of urgency that bypasses normal caution.
How Suspicion Led to Unmasking the Fraud
Deputy Commissioner Talawar, upon receiving the unusual request, attempted to call the number directly through WhatsApp for confirmation. The fraudster, however, did not answer the call. Instead, they sent a follow-up message reiterating that they were in a meeting, further attempting to maintain the ruse.
This evasion raised red flags for Talawar. Growing suspicious, he decided to bypass the WhatsApp number and contact Commissioner Kartik M. on his known personal number. The commissioner was shocked to learn about the impersonation and confirmed he had made no such request for funds. This confirmation revealed the entire scheme as a sophisticated cyber fraud attempt.
Following this verification, Talawar promptly filed a formal complaint at the Belagavi CEN police station, initiating an investigation into the matter.
Official Response and Tracing the Digital Trail
Commissioner Kartik M. confirmed to the media that his deputy had lodged a complaint against the unknown individuals who misused his identity. He expressed concern over the audacity of the scam targeting public officials.
Preliminary investigative information points to an international angle in this cybercrime. The fraudulent WhatsApp number used in the scam has been traced to have originated from Vietnam, highlighting the cross-border nature of modern digital fraud. This complicates the investigative process for local law enforcement agencies.
This incident serves as a stark warning to professionals, especially those in positions of authority. It underscores the critical need for constant vigilance against online fraud attempts, even when they appear to come from trusted contacts. The Belagavi police are now investigating the case to identify and apprehend the perpetrators behind this impersonation scam.
