Fraudsters try to trick cops online and steal cash

An SI was shocked when he received a text from his superior, demanding cash...
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

CHENNAI: Some adventurous conmen seem to be on a mission to prove they are a cut above others by targeting senior police officials. A sub-inspector with the city police felt it bizarre when he received a social media message from his superior officer, Arul Santhosa Muthu, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Madhavaram, requesting to lend him Rs 5,000.

Hesitant, yet scared to disobey his superior’s demand, the SI approached the ACP. “I was shocked when the SI asked me why I asked money from him. First I thought he was pranking me. It was only when he showed the message, I realised it was a con job,” said Arul Santhosa Muthu.

For Christin Jayasil, a police official in the rank of assistant commissioner (waiting to be posted), it was a call from one of his friends enquiring whether all was well, that raised suspicion about something was wrong. “A few days ago a friend called and asked what happened to me and if I was safe. I got confused but he told me that I had texted him on Facebook messenger.

Later, I realised some conmen, posing like me, had asked Rs 10,000 from my friend and also given a Google Pay number to transfer the amount,” said Christin Jayasil. He added, “Thankfully no one transferred the money, but many of my friends either called or texted me to know if I was alright and were surprised to know that someone impersonated me.” Subsequently, both police officers lodged complaints at the respective Cyber Crime cells and blocked the fake IDs from which the messages were sent.

Police officials said con jobs are on the rise and people should be careful. “In some cases the Facebook messenger profiles of police personnel are created using fictitious hacks. We have identified one such gang that is operating from Odisha,” said a police officer.

Con game on
A SI felt it bizarre when he received a social media message from his superior asking for money. Later, he realised it to be a scam and no money was taken

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