Cyber Fraud Hits Kolkata: Fake Social Media Profile of Ex-Minister Uncovered

Kolkata Police have initiated a probe into a cyber crime incident involving a fake social media profile impersonating former West Bengal minister, Manish Gupta. Authorities revealed this development on Monday.

The cybercriminals allegedly set up a fraudulent Facebook account using Gupta's name and photograph. They further used his photo as a display picture for a WhatsApp number that was then employed to send messages to several of Gupta’s acquaintances.

Believing the messages to be legitimate, some recipients transferred money to the bank accounts specified by the fraudsters, who claimed the funds were for an urgent need. After discovering the deception, Gupta informed his contacts and filed a complaint with the city's cyber police station. The police believe the culprits might be part of a larger network creating false profiles to execute scams and are attempting to trace the mobile number used for the fraudulent communications.