Mumbai Crime: Brazen online scamster targets senior cop, creates his fake profile on Facebook

Bharat Gaikwad, assistant commissioner of police, Amravati

As the pandemic has moved us into an online world, criminals have kept pace with the race in cyber space. The cyber crime graph has shown an upward trajectory since the Covid-19 lockdowns limited mobility in the real world. "The crooks have been so bold, even police officers have been targeted," said Bharat Gaikwad, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Amravati.

Gaikwad's message clarifying that the requests for money were not from him

Gaikwad said, "I was transferred from my post as senior police inspector at D N Nagar Andheri (W) and got a promotion as ACP, Amravati. By the end of last month, I had got my release from Mumbai and transfer order. Around that time, somebody made a fake Facebook account in my name. They took my display picture, my name of course and sent friend requests to those on my friends list and started chatting with them. This online imposter was obviously somebody who knew me."

Modus operandi

After the chatting, which was also designed to establish ‘credibility', Gaikwad said the criminal or group swung into action. "By the beginning of June, they started sending messages that I am in trouble and I need '15,000 to '20,000 due to some emergency." Those familiar with these online scams will recognise a pattern. This usually follows similar lines. A known person will send out an SOS message to his friends or contacts. He is marooned somewhere, or a family emergency has cropped up and he needs money. In Gaikwad's case, friends were asked to pay the money through Google Pay.

Gaikwad said, "I was taken aback when I started receiving calls from friends asking me what emergency I had and why I needed money. That is when I realised a fake account had been made. I sent out a message to all my contacts warning them about the account and that they should not send any money." The top cop said he quickly filed a complaint with the Cyber Cell, Amravati. "Fortunately, none of my friends sent money, they saw red flags and called me to check. I understand though how easy it is to be misled by these messages."

Red flags

Gaikwad sent out a message around early June to his Facebook friends saying, "Today, I have noticed that someone has created a fake account of me on FB and through that account is sending requests to my FB friends and demanding money. Report and block that account and please do not respond or send any amount to him. Beware of this fraudster."

He said, "It is always better to call the person and check when you get such messages. Conmen hope you make mistakes because of impulsive reactions triggered by alarm. Always beware of people sending you friend requests if you are already on the friends list. Think: why would a person send you a friend request if you are already on the friends list?"

Lessons learnt

Gaikwad looked at the larger picture as he added, "The fact that these criminals thought nothing of targeting a police officer, even using his uniformed picture to create a fake account, is indicative of the lengths that they will go to. I am not the first police personnel to be targeted, there are others. There has been a spike in cybercrime during the outbreak and subsequent lockdowns. You need to be careful on social media, the photos you use, the way you lock your account and password. Do everything with a great deal of thought and an abundance of caution." Gaikwad did not say at what stage the investigation has reached, but added, "Efforts are on to crack this."