Fake President Murmu’s Facebook profile used to target Ranchi resident

Cyber scammers are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive unsuspecting individuals, with the latest case involving the impersonation of India’s President Droupadi Murmu. The alarming incident highlights the growing misuse of fake social media accounts to defraud and extort money.

Mantu Soni, a resident of Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, recently received a friend request on Facebook from an account claiming to be President Murmu. The account appeared convincing, featuring the President’s photograph and other official-looking details.

Soon after accepting the request, Mantu received a message from the fake account. It read, “Jai Hind, how are you?” The scammer then attempted to shift the conversation to WhatsApp, saying, “I use Facebook very rarely; send me your WhatsApp number.” Believing it to be genuine, Mantu shared his number.

Hours later, Mantu received a suspicious follow-up message on Facebook Messenger. The scammer claimed they had saved his number and sent him a “WhatsApp code,” asking him to quickly share the six-digit code. At this point, Mantu realized something was amiss.

Acting promptly, Mantu took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his experience. He tagged Rashtrapati Bhavan, Jharkhand Police, and other authorities, bringing the matter to their attention. Ranchi Police quickly responded and sought further details regarding the post.

Ranchi SSP Chandan Sinha confirmed that the case is under investigation. “We have directed agencies to thoroughly examine all aspects of this matter,” he stated. While a formal FIR is yet to be filed, authorities are working to track down the perpetrators behind the fraudulent account.

This incident serves as a stark reminder for citizens to remain vigilant online and verify any suspicious requests, even those appearing to come from trusted or high-profile individuals.