Cybercrime Chaos: Fake Profiles and Blackmail Schemes Uncovered

Fraudsters created a fake Facebook profile impersonating Joint Commissioner Madhur Verma to scam his social circle. Verma warned the public about the scam and reported the incident for further investigation. Another cybercriminal was arrested for extorting money by threatening to leak a victim's private pictures.

In a startling revelation from the cybercrime sphere, fraudsters have orchestrated a deceitful scheme by creating a fake Facebook profile under the guise of Joint Commissioner Madhur Verma from Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch. According to sources, the perpetrators are targeting individuals within Verma's social network with misleading messages.

The fraudulent account made spurious claims that a friend of the Joint Commissioner, serving in the CRPF, faced a sudden transfer and was in urgent need to sell furniture and electronic goods at discounted rates. Numerous acquaintances of Verma received these messages, which aimed to ensnare them into transferring money under the pretense of purchasing these items.

In response, Joint Commissioner Madhur Verma utilized social media platforms to alert the public about the deceptive scam, urging caution and confirming that the Facebook account in question was counterfeit and not managed by him. Notably, this marks the third occurrence where a fake profile has misused his name; fortunately, the previous two instances were reported and successfully removed.

The Joint Commissioner is expected to lodge a formal complaint with the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit for a comprehensive investigation. In a separate incident, on March 15, the Delhi Police detained a 23-year-old individual accused of extorting money from a woman and threatening to disseminate her private images online.

The accused, identified as Madhav Singh from Pratap Nagar, Amritsar, was captured following an intensive cybercrime probe. Police reports state that the victim had filed a grievance at the Cyber Police Station of North West District, detailing that she was blackmailed by an acquaintance she met on social media.

Over time, as their interactions grew frequent, the accused gained access to her private images and subsequently demanded a ransom of Rs 5 lakh, coupled with threats to release the pictures publicly if his demands went unmet. The case was registered under sections 308(2) and 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), prompting further investigation.

Authorities discovered that the accused was operating multiple Instagram profiles with fictitious identities, deliberately withholding contact information and personal details. Employing advanced cyber forensic techniques, law enforcement successfully traced his digital activities, ultimately identifying and apprehending him.

During the questioning process, Singh admitted to the criminal acts, candidly revealing that he resorted to such schemes for personal amusement. The police confiscated the mobile phone implicated in the illicit activities.

The investigation remains active, as investigators continue to pursue potential victims and any accomplices engaged in similar cybercriminal affairs. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)