FPJ Cyber Secure: Conmen use businessman's display pic on WhatsApp for e-gift fraud

The chairman and MD of an entertainment, media and communications company has lodged a complaint with the Worli police stating that an unknown fraudster used his photograph as the WhatsApp display and contacted people to purchase e-gift vouchers. The fraud came to light when one of his employees received such a message from the imposter.

One of the employees received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number stating, “Kindly get back to me as soon as you receive my message. Thanks”.

As the profile display of the sender was of his 62-year-old boss, the employee immediately sent a screenshot of the message to him. The MD immediately posted an alert for his contact list on Facebook and WhatsApp, asking everyone to ignore such a message if they receive it.

Other employees get the same message

Later, four persons informed him that they had received such messages asking them to buy 10 e-gift vouchers of Rs10,000 each for him, and promised to return the money by evening.

The police have registered a case under section 419 (cheating by personation) of the Indian Penal Code and section 66C (identity theft) of the Information Technology Act. They have identified the mobile number used by the fraudster and have initiated a probe.