Auraiya | Cyber fraudsters are increasingly using the identities of government officials to trap people. In Auraiya, a fake WhatsApp account was created using the name and photo of District Magistrate Dr. Indramani Tripathi, prompting the administration to issue an urgent advisory and order a police investigation.
According to officials, the fake account was created using a foreign (Vietnam) number, and calls/messages were being sent to people while posing as the DM. Authorities clarified that the number does not belong to the District Magistrate and that any demand made from it is fraudulent. The suspicious number flagged by the administration is: 84588169187
The DM appealed to residents and government employees that if anyone receives messages asking for money, links, QR codes, or bank details from this number, they should immediately contact the cyber crime unit or the nearest police station. The case has also been reported to the Superintendent of Police with instructions for swift action.
How the scam works
Over the past few months, cyber criminals have been using photos of senior officials as their WhatsApp DP and then sending friendly messages such as, “Hello, how are you?” Once trust is built, they suddenly claim urgency — asking for money, gift cards or confidential bank transactions.
Seeing the name “DM/Collector/Commissioner,” many people panic — and fall into the trap without verification.
CPT Analysis: “Official identity, criminal tactic”
Experts from the Center for Police Technology (CPT) say this fraud pattern is spreading fast across districts. According to CPT:
- Fraudsters use foreign numbers and add the photo of a local officer
- They write the designation to make the account look “official”
- Conversation starts casually to build trust
- Suddenly, they switch to urgent financial demands
CPT explains that scammers exploit the natural trust people have in government officers. Their key advice:
- No genuine officer will ask for money on WhatsApp
- Do not rely only on Truecaller or WhatsApp Info
- Always verify through the official district office number
- Never download unknown links or APK filesAvoid scanning QR codes sent by strangers
CPT also reminded citizens:
“Official government orders do not come through WhatsApp chats they come through verified portals or official letters.”
Police investigation underway
Police officials said the cyber cell will examine the digital trail, including number origin, possible networks and technical footprints. If needed, coordination with international agencies may also be sought.
So far, no financial loss has been reported but authorities stress that issuing the advisory in time may have prevented a bigger fraud.
Important advice for citizens
- Don’t trust WhatsApp messages claiming to be from “senior officers”
- If money, OTP, bank details or QR codes are requested disconnect immediately.
- File complaints through the national cyber helpline 1930 or visit the nearest police station.
