Odisha: Cybercriminals Make Fake Social Media Profiles Of Bureaucrats, Ask To Pay Bills. Govt Issues Advisory

The government informed users that cybercriminals are using photos of senior bureaucrats on WhatsApp and other messaging platforms on social media and asking people to pay bills or remit some money

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New Delhi: With rising cases of cyber crimes in Odisha, the state government on Tuesday warned people to remain cautious at the time of financial transactions. In a statement, the government informed the users that cybercriminals are using photos of senior bureaucrats on WhatsApp and other messaging platforms on social media and asking people to pay bills. “It has come to notice that a fake telephone number ‘9315641784’ is using the photo of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, and asking people to pay bills or remit some money," the Information & Public Relations Department of the state government tweeted.

ହ୍ବାଟ୍‌ସଆପରେ ବରିଷ୍ଠ ଅଧିକାରୀ ତଥା ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଙ୍କ ନାମରେ ଫେକ୍ ଆକାଉଣ୍ଟ ଖୋଲି ଲୋକଙ୍କୁ ବିଭ୍ରାନ୍ତ କରୁଥିବା କେତେକ ଘଟଣା ନଜରକୁ ଆସିଛି। ୯୩୧୫୬ ୪୧୭୮୪ ନମ୍ବରରୁ ମୁଖ୍ଯ ଶାସନ ସଚିବଙ୍କ ନାମରେ ଫେକ୍ ହ୍ବାଟ୍‌ସଆପ ଆକାଉଣ୍ଟ ଖୋଲି ମେସେଜ୍ ପଠାଯିବା ନେଇ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିଗୋଚର ହୋଇଛି। ଏହି ଭଳି ମେସେଜ୍ ପ୍ରତି ସତର୍କ ରହିବାକୁ ଅନୁରୋଧ। pic.twitter.com/MiPNDFZCgB

— I & PR Department, Odisha (@IPR_Odisha) July 26, 2022

Earlier, similar messages were sent to people from a fake profile of Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary PK Jena. According to the PTI report.

Stating that the chief secretary would not be responsible for any transaction done on the basis of these fake messages, the statement said, “All are requested to remain alert and careful about such messages. Anybody receiving any such message is requested to inform cyber police station or nearest police station.”

“The government want to inform people that there is no such mobile phone number of chief secretary. The chief secretary never asks any one to pay any bill or remit money to any account," the statement added on Tuesday.

Even as Jena had filed a complaint regarding the incident, the scammers were yet to be traced, the report added. Cyber fraudsters had also opened a fake WhatsApp account in the name of the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) Commissioner.

The WhatsApp account bearing the picture of BeMC Commissioner J Sonal was opened with phone number 9065035805.