KOCHI: Amid growing concerns over cyber frauds, Piravom MLA Anoop Jacob received such a suspicious call from a cyber fraudster on Sunday. The fraudster, posing as a telecom department official, claimed that the MLA’s SIM card was being misused by someone involved in financial crimes and warned that the number would soon be deactivated.
However, the MLA promptly responded, stating that he would report the matter to the police and take appropriate legal action. At this point, the fraudster abruptly disconnected the call and did not respond to any further attempts to reach him.
“I received the call on Sunday morning, but it didn’t escalate to a financial demand because of my timely intervention. Considering the gravity of the issue, I reported it to the Koothattukulam police and shared the details with media friends to raise public awareness,” Anoop told TNIE.
Detailing about the incident, he said, “I received the call while I was engaged in public events. The caller identified himself as Akhilesh Sharma, claiming to be the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Bengaluru Telecommunications Vigilance Wing. He alleged that a mobile number registered in my name was being misused for financial fraud and warned that my SIM card would be blocked.”
“I questioned the legal basis of his claim and warned him that I would report the incident to the police and pursue legal action. At this point, the caller abruptly disconnected the call,” he said.
Responding to the incident, an officer attached to the Koothattukulam police station said, “We have registered a case based on the MLA’s complaint. Relevant sections, including those for cheating and criminal breach of trust, have been charged.”