Fake WhatsApp Account Created with Vietnamese Number: Advisory Issued -

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Fake WhatsApp Account Created with Vietnamese Number: Advisory Issued

“Recently, a fake WhatsApp A/c got created in DM’s name while using a Vietnamese Number.”

Government officials’ identities are increasingly being used by cybercriminals to deceive victims. The government in Auraiya issued an urgent advisory and ordered a police probe after a phony WhatsApp account was made using the name and photo of District Magistrate Dr. Indramani Tripathi.

Officials

A foreign (Vietnam) number was used to construct the fictitious account, and calls and messages were sent to individuals pretending to be the direct message. Authorities confirmed that any demand made using the number is fake and that it does not belong to the District Magistrate. The administration has identified 84588169187 as a suspicious number.

Residents and government workers were urged by the DM to contact the closest police station or the cybercrime section right away if they receive texts from this number requesting money, links, QR codes, or bank information.

The Superintendent of Police has also been notified of the situation and instructed to take immediate action.

How does the fraud operate?

Cybercriminals have been sending amicable messages like “Hello, how are you?” using pictures of high-ranking authorities as their WhatsApp DP over the past few months. They abruptly assert urgency and demand cash, gift cards, or private bank transactions once trust has been established.

Many individuals panic when they see the moniker “DM/Collector/Commissioner” and fall into the trap without checking.

“Official identity, criminal tactic” is the CPT analysis

This fraud practice is rapidly expanding throughout districts, according to experts from the Center for Police Technology (CPT).

According to CPT:

Fraudsters include the picture of a local police officer along with international numbers.
To make the account appear “official,” they write the designation.
To establish confidence, the conversation begins informally.
All of a sudden, they start making urgent cash demands.

According to CPT, con artists take advantage of people’s innate faith in public servants.

Their key advice:

On WhatsApp, no real cop will demand money.
Don’t depend solely on WhatsApp information or Truecaller.
The official district office number should always be used for verification.
Never download APK downloads or unknown URLs.Steer clear of scanning QR codes that strangers provide you.

Center for Police Technology

“Formal government directives are obtained through formal letters or verified portals, not through WhatsApp conversations.”

Police Officials

The digital trail, including the number’s origin, potential networks, and technological traces, will be investigated by the cyber cell. Coordination with foreign organizations may also be sought if necessary.

Although no financial loss has been detected thus far, authorities emphasize that a larger fraud would have been avoided if the alert had been issued sooner.

Crucial counsel for citizens

WhatsApp communications purporting to be from “senior officers” should not be trusted.
Disconnect at any time if you are asked for money, OTP, bank information, or QR codes.
Visit the closest police station or use the national cyber helpline 1930 to file complaints.

About The Author

Suraj Koli is a content specialist in technical writing about cybersecurity & information security. He has written many amazing articles related to cybersecurity concepts, with the latest trends in cyber awareness and ethical hacking. Find out more about “Him.”

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