Guwahati, July 13: Amidst cyber criminals targeting high-profile people in Assam of late, mainly impersonating ministers and bureaucrats through platforms such as Whatsapp, the state police department is leaving no stone unturned to thwart attempts by such scamsters.
Assam Police DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta on Wednesday said that the state police force was in continuous touch with the Whatsapp authorities in this regard.
“These are not hackers of networking sites but I would say these are impersonators. But we are monitoring them and are in constant touch with the Whatsapp authorities. A few have been arrested as well,” Mahanta said.
As it is, the police force has been alerting people through its official Twitter handle against such scams.
One such alert posted on Wednesday said. “Beware Of WhatsApp Scams. Citizens are requested to be extremely careful while interacting with WhatsApp messages from unknown numbers, using a picture of someone you know. It’s most likely to be a scam. Immediately report such messages and block the numbers.”
Over the past couple of days, such cyber criminals have dared to target people in power with Assam industries and commerce minister Bimal Borah and Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha lodging FIRs at separate police stations of the city regarding fraudsters impersonating them on Whatsapp.
The minister had on Monday lodged an FIR at the Dispur police station against fraudsters who have opened a WhatsApp account using his photograph in its profile.
According to the FIR, messages have been sent from a number, 7780915086, to four officials of the industries and commerce and public enterprises department.
Speaking to mediapersons later, the minister said that he has intimated the state DGP about that matter and that it was suspected that cyber criminals from outside the state might be behind the scam in an attempt to earn easy money through illegal means.