The police have come across a unique modus-operandi used by cyber-fraudster wherein the fraudster had purposefully fed his number on the mobile application based caller ID on the name of the individual, whose relatives and friends have to be targeted. The fraudster sought financial assistance or monetary help from the relatives and friends of the person whose identity he had impersonated.
According to the VP Road police, a 70-year-old Girgaum resident and metal businessman has lodged a police complaint recently, stating that, from October 21 till November 15, an unknown person had contacted his friends and relatives from different mobile numbers and had sought Rs 13 to Rs 15 lakh citing some financial issues. "As per the complainant, fortunately, none of the persons who were approached by the fraudsters, had fallen in the trap and verified with the victim if he was indeed in need of money," said a police officer.
He added, "The complainant further stated in his complaint that the fraudster had used at least five mobile numbers which he had fed on a mobile application caller ID with the victim's name and had used his display picture on WhatsApp in order to dupe his friends by seeking financial help. We are working on the mobile numbers which have been provided by the complainant to us to trace the suspects involved."
Another police officer said, "This is a unique modus-operandi which is used by the fraudster as he had saved the name of the victim on the mobile application based caller ID and his display photographs on the WhatsApp used on those numbers to gain trust of the targets. If anyone approaches the people through any form of communication and makes a demand for money citing any emergency, then the people should always verify with their contacts if the demand is made by the genuine person or if it is a fraud."
A case has been registered under sections 419 (Punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating), 500 (Punishment for defamation) and 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment) of the Indian Penal Code and section 66C (punishment for identity theft) of the Information Technology Act in the matter.
