Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Cyber criminals are duping people by falsely claiming to represent a charitable foundation operating in the name of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, Indore Crime Branch officials said on Monday.
The fraudsters target victims with promises of financial aid, business startup grants, and government subsidies under the guise of the fake "CM Vijay Thalapathi Foundation."
To execute the scheme, scammers call individuals, offering financial assistance for small businesses or offering to open new bank accounts to deposit the grant money.
Once victims express interest, the cyber criminals extort sums ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 60,000 under the pretext of mandatory registration, verification, and processing fees.
Additional DCP (Crime Branch) Rajesh Dandotiya said Indore police have already received half a dozen formal complaints about the scam.
"Fraudsters lure victims by claiming the foundation was created to help the poor with subsidies and startup funding," Additional DCP Dandotiya said.
"They charge registration and processing fees, scamming people out of anywhere from Rs 10,000 to Rs 60,000.
Similar complaints are suspected nationwide. We have already verified several phone numbers used by the scammers, and a thorough investigation is underway."
Police officials have urged the public to verify organisation details through official websites before transferring money.
Citizens who fall victim to cyber scams are advised to report the incident immediately to their nearest police station, call the national cyber helpline at 1930, or file a complaint online at the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
