Scammers Impersonate Electronic City DCP M Narayana on Facebook to Cheat Citizens
Cyber fraudsters impersonated M Narayana, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Electronic City, on Facebook to cheat more than 10 people across Karnataka, including a recent victim who was defrauded of Rs 40,000 on July 1. The scammers used a fake profile with Narayana's name and photo to trick victims with a fabricated story about selling household goods for a transferring Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer.
The latest reported victim of the fraud was Jahir Hussain, a 56-year-old Banasawadi resident who knew Narayana. On July 1, Hussain received a friend request from the fake profile. Believing it was from the IPS officer, Hussain accepted the request.
The fraudster then sent messages claiming a friend serving in the CRPF had been transferred to Kashmir and wanted to sell his household belongings before relocating. Because the fraudster claimed the items were being sold at an attractive price, Hussain agreed to buy some. He paid Rs 40,000 in multiple transactions to a QR code sent by the fraudster.
Hussain realized he had been duped when the fraudster demanded more money. He subsequently approached the Banasawadi police station and filed a complaint.
The scam has continued to operate despite an ongoing police investigation. The Hebbagodi police in the Electronic City area registered an FIR on May 16 on charges of identity theft and cheating by impersonation, following a complaint by Narayana. Since then, other victims have filed cases at police stations in Banasawadi, Karwar, and other places.
Narayana stated on Monday that the police have formed a special team to identify and arrest the fraudsters. He noted that incidents have been reported in Kolar, Uttara Kannada, Bengaluru, and other areas, using his photo sourced from the internet.
Narayana appealed to the public not to fall victim to these scams, clarifying that he has never asked anyone to buy products. He requested citizens to contact him directly or file a complaint on the police emergency helpline.
