Staff Reporter
Panaji
The Goa cyber crime police are currently delving into a spate of troubling incidents involving fake WhatsApp accounts that impersonate high-profile government officials, such as ministers and MLAs. Their investigation has traced the mobile numbers associated with these fraudulent accounts to locations outside the state, yet perplexingly, the individuals possessing these specific SIM cards do not have WhatsApp installed on their devices.
According to a senior police officer who is deeply involved in this case, cybercriminals are cunningly exploiting the personal information of unsuspecting individuals to set up fraudulent accounts. The investigation remains active and ongoing as efforts intensify to uncover the masterminds orchestrating these sophisticated scams.
The probe was initiated after a surge of identity theft reports came to light, revealing that fraudsters were masquerading as ministers and MLAs in a bid to solicit financial favors from unsuspecting victims. Complaints regarding these illicit activities have been filed not only at local police stations but also at the dedicated cybercrime police station located in Ribandar.
In response to these troubling incidents, the cybercrime police took decisive and proactive measures to investigate. Notable government officials who reported the impersonation attempts include Ravi Naik, Mauvin Godinho, Premendra Shet, Nilesh Cabral, Jit Arolkar, and most recently, Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza and Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira, who voiced their concerns regarding this alarming trend.
Sources indicate that cybercriminals are specifically targeting users of second SIM card numbers to fabricate fake WhatsApp profiles. These criminals often take advantage of careless behavior exhibited by many individuals, as it is common for users to install unverified applications that gain access to their messages and personal galleries. Once granted permission, these malicious apps can read one-time passwords (OTPs), which are then relayed to the criminals. This technical manipulation allows fraudsters to operate WhatsApp on the victim’s second SIM card, often without the user’s awareness.
