Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh: The Cyber Crime Police Station in Balrampur has registered a case against an unidentified individual for creating a fake Facebook account in the name of a police official and using it to deceive the public. The case, filed on February 22, 2025, was registered under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2008, which deal with identity theft and online fraud.
How the Fraud was Uncovered
On February 20, 2025, authorities were alerted that a fraudulent Facebook profile was operating under the name “Vikas Kumar” and was using the official photograph of the Superintendent of Police (SP) Balrampur as its profile picture. The fake profile was sending friend requests to various individuals and allegedly soliciting money under false pretenses, claiming to be a senior police officer.
Upon investigation, cybercrime officials confirmed that the account was not controlled by the real Vikas Kumar but by an unknown fraudster. Further technical examination revealed that three mobile numbers were associated with the fake account. Authorities suspect that these numbers were used to contact and manipulate victims into believing they were interacting with a genuine police officer.
Action Taken by Cyber Police
Following the discovery, officials from the Cyber Crime Police Station in Balrampur made repeated attempts to report and remove the fraudulent account. Reports were submitted to Facebook’s grievance cell on February 20, 21, and 22, requesting the immediate removal of the account. However, despite multiple attempts, the profile remained active.
The police also contacted Facebook’s grievance officer on February 21 at 11:16 PM and again on February 22 at 9:05 AM but received no response from the platform regarding the removal request. Instead of taking action against the fraudulent profile, Facebook allegedly did not block the account, allowing the scammer to continue their illicit activities, leading authorities to believe that the nodal officer’s inaction contributed to the crime.
FIR Registered, Investigation Underway
Considering the severity of the crime and its potential impact on the public, an FIR was officially registered on February 22, 2025, at 5:05 PM at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Balrampur. The case has been handed over to the Station House Officer (SHO) of Cyber Crime for investigation.
What’s Next?
Authorities are now tracing the IP addresses and mobile numbers linked to the fraudulent Facebook account to track down the suspect. The police have urged the public to be vigilant and not to accept friend requests from unknown individuals, especially those claiming to be police officials.
The case highlights the rising threat of social media impersonation and cyber fraud, emphasizing the need for stronger digital safety measures and more responsive action from tech companies in handling such complaints.
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