Imposter creates Odisha IPS officer’s fake Facebook account
BHUBANESWAR: Creation of fake social media handles in names of high profile persons, especially politicians and bureaucrats, for the purpose of cheating seems to be the latest trend by cyber criminals in the state. Deputy inspector general (intelligence) Anup Kumar Sahoo has become the latest victim of cyber criminals, who created a fake account by misusing his name on Facebook on Sunday.
“I was taken aback seeing a fake Facebook account in my name. I immediately shared a post from my genuine handle and cautioned people about the fake Facebook account,” Sahoo told TOI. The senior IPS officer, however, has not yet lodged any complaint with the police. The fake account has been blocked after one of his friends reported the matter to the Facebook.
At least a dozen ministers, IAS and IPS officers have seen fake social media handles in their names in the last one and a half years. Additional director general of police (railways and coastal security) Pranabindu Acharya recently fell prey to cyber crooks on the social media. On July 9 this year, he lodged a complaint with the cyber cell of state Crime Branch, seeking action against unknown miscreant, who created a fake Facebook profile in his name.
Uditnagar police in Rourkela had arrested a youth on June 16 this year for allegedly creating a fake Facebook profile in the name of Rourkela superintendent of police, K Siva Subramani.
On May 26 this year, Bargarh district collector Jyoti Ranjan Pradhan and superintendent of police Padmini Sahoo lodged complaints after coming across fake Facebook accounts in their names.
Sambalpur district collector Subham Saxena was twice a victim of impersonators on social media in the past. In June 2019, police had arrested two persons for creating a fake Facebook account in his name. In October, 2019 Saxena again came across another fake Facebook account in his name.
Sundergarh Collector Nikhil Pavan Kalyan and Sambalpur district collector Samarth Verma had reported to the police about creation of fake Facebook accounts in their names in October and November last year.
In all those cases, the cyber imposters impersonated the high profile persons on social media sites and sought financial help and other favours from their friends.