Raipur witnessed a surprising case of cyber fraud in which an unidentified scammer impersonated the personal assistant of senior political leader Nitin Nabin and duped BJP MLA Purandar Mishra of ₹10,000 through a carefully staged emergency story involving a vehicle running out of fuel in a forest area.
The incident highlights the growing misuse of caller ID manipulation and emotional storytelling by cybercriminals to exploit trust and urgency for financial gain.
According to police sources, the MLA received a call from an unknown number, which displayed the name of Nitin Nabin’s PA on the Truecaller application. This false identification immediately created a sense of credibility and reduced suspicion, allowing the fraudster to initiate the conversation smoothly.
During the call, the accused spoke in a distressed tone and claimed that his vehicle had run out of fuel and that he and his family were stranded in a forested area. He requested urgent financial help, presenting the situation as a genuine emergency requiring immediate assistance.
Believing the request to be authentic and humanitarian in nature, the MLA transferred ₹10,000 through UPI. However, shortly after receiving the money, the fraudster again contacted him from another number and demanded additional funds, which raised suspicion.
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Repeated requests for money triggered doubt in the MLA’s mind. He cross-checked the situation with associates and realized that he had likely been targeted in a planned cyber fraud. He immediately reported the matter to the police.
Following the complaint, Raipur police launched an investigation and traced the transaction details along with call records. Technical analysis of digital footprints helped identify the suspect, after which a swift operation was conducted to track him down.
The accused was eventually arrested from Puri in Odisha. Preliminary investigation revealed that he had obtained the MLA’s contact number through online sources and was possibly involved in similar attempts targeting other individuals using similar tactics.
Officials stated that the accused exploited caller ID spoofing techniques and manipulated display names on apps like Truecaller to create a false sense of legitimacy. This method is increasingly being used by cybercriminals to impersonate known individuals or their associates.
Cyber experts note that such scams rely heavily on emotional manipulation, urgency, and perceived authority. By presenting a time-sensitive emergency, fraudsters prevent victims from verifying details before transferring money.
Experts further warn that even verified-looking caller IDs cannot be trusted blindly, as such information can be manipulated using digital tools and third-party applications.
Authorities have advised citizens to always verify financial requests through independent and known communication channels before transferring money. They stressed that urgent requests made via unknown calls or messages should always be treated with caution.
Police have also urged the public not to rely solely on caller ID applications for identity verification, as these platforms can be misused or spoofed by cybercriminals.
Investigators are now examining whether the accused is part of a larger cyber fraud network and if similar cases have been reported in other states. Efforts are ongoing to trace additional victims and financial links connected to the accused.
The case once again underscores how cybercriminals are combining technology and psychological manipulation to exploit trust, making even public figures vulnerable to simple yet effective fraud tactics.
