Now cyber criminals target victims as Deputy commissioner

Shimla, August 8

Cybercrime is growing exponentially in the state of Himachal Pradesh as fraudsters have started impersonation as Chief minister, Ministers and Deputy Commissioner to dupe gullible victims.

In a press release today, Deputy Commissioner Shimla Aditya Negi informed that people need to be extra vigilant to save themselves from the dubious practice as some criminals were using his picture on a fake WhatsApp group ID for extortion of money through impersonation.

The Deputy commissioner cautioned people not to fall into the trap of such demands or get into any money transaction.  “A mobile number (9135135244) has been put on the fake WhatsApp account as my photo profile photo, through which money is being demanded from the people,” said Negi. Adding that this mobile number doesn’t belong to him and is a fake account. ” If money is demanded from any person through this WhatsApp account, he should file a report in the nearest police station or cyber cell.

Recently several media persons were targeted with a similar Modus operandi as a WhatsApp  message was received by them on behalf of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

The state cyber cell is constituted to probe such crimes; however, no breakthrough was achieved to resolve the increasing trend. A number of victims are coming fore to get such cases registered. So far,  the cyber cells haven’t been able to probe such increasing cases, as the criminals are targeting people from offshore.