CID issued warning regarding WhatsApp scam, protect yourself like this

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police has issued an advisory in public interest regarding a scam on WhatsApp users. The department says that a fraudulent racket is running in WhatsApp, which is targeting bureaucrats, senior government officials and political leaders. The racket has possible international links, and is reportedly also in touch with the Home Ministry.

TOI’s AccordingAYV Krishna, Additional Director General of Police, CID, said, “Similar cases have been reported in Tripura, Meghalaya, Delhi, Telangana, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Odisha. In Assam, one case of WhatsApp impersonation attack has been reported so far.”

As mentioned, the department also suspects international links of this racket. Regarding this, Krishna says, ‘We are investigating the matter and other states are also investigating their cases. We are also in touch with the Home Ministry.”

The CID says these fraudsters collect available information about a particular organization or department and its employees from official websites or gain unauthorized access to the contact list of a senior official, the report said. Krishna said “The fraudster obtains the name and photo of the senior officer/political executive/constitutional authority of that organization or department obtained from websites, social media sites, emails, messenger apps etc., and uses them to create a WhatsApp account with an unknown phone number. makes.”

Krishna further says that the fraudsters would send a message or email on WhatsApp to select the subordinate from the list that he is attending a very important meeting and is unable to make/take calls and hence, would ask him to send an Amazon e-gift for him. Asks to purchase a card or transfer funds by sending a link.

Therefore, CID has asked officers of all departments to verify from their senior officers before making any payment or purchase or clicking on the link sent in the message. The department has also asked to take screenshots of such messages and register complaints.

The report further states that on July 11, a fake WhatsApp account with a ‘display picture’ containing the photograph of Assam Industries, Commerce and Public Enterprises Minister Bimal Bora was detected, using which the miscreants had hacked two joint secretaries of the department, Ohad Uz Zaman and Bhaskar tried to cheat money from Jyoti Mahant and Deputy Secretary Ramen Lal Vaishya and Seng Taimung.